Denis Coderre is not the type of politician who waits to be thought of.
Published at 6:00 a.m.
He takes the lead and positions himself on the starting line.
“When I made calls, I asked three questions. The first: “Do you see me as Prime Minister?” Second, “do I have the credibility and experience?” And third, “Have I missed a date?” », Said Denis Coderre in a radio column a year ago. Quite the opposite of Mark Carney who lets himself be desired for months by federal liberal sirens.
Of course, there was a six-month “media striptease” between the time he expressed his interest and the official announcement of his candidacy for leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. A classic scenario whose final scene was written in the sky.
The PLQ leadership race therefore officially begins on Monday.
For months, I have felt unease about Denis Coderre’s return to politics. Liberals, who do not want to be named, tell me that he is a politician from another era with outdated speeches and outdated methods.
He lost two elections for mayor of Montreal and the Liberals want a winner. In their eyes, he cannot embody the renewal that the PLQ needs. And then there is added discomfort, not to say pity or sadness, to see a man clinging to politics despite a stroke of which he still has some after-effects.
I invited him to come and have coffee in Little Italy so that we could discuss all these questions. He accepted without hesitation.
First, he admits to having won in this race. “I didn’t wait for the neighbor to invite me to eat before going to the provincial. I see there is a problem, I think I have the solution. Politics is my whole life. I am the last of the Mohicans. »
A party is a vehicle, but it requires a driver who knows how to drive.
Denis Coderre
When I point out to him that he received a polite reception, but without much enthusiasm from the caucus, he responds: “There is an establishment in the PLQ that thinks more about its interests than the interests of Quebec. Former ministers, platform managers, people who know everything. Every month there is a new flavor, Karl Blackburn, Charles Milliard and Pablo Rodriguez. There are people who are worried because they can’t control me. The Liberal Party still has the same flaw. He wanted Claude Ryan to look like René Lévesque. He wanted Dominique Anglade to look like QS. It was a failure. »
When I broach the question of his state of health, he is stung. “Are all the people commenting neurologists? I have the green light from my doctors. I walked 300 kilometers to Santiago de Compostela. Sometimes I talk funny, but I’m fine, I don’t have any problems. I have memory. I have all my mind. »
Denis Coderre says his problems with the Canada Revenue Agency and Revenu Québec will be resolved with the sale of his house, which is said to be imminent.
Seeing this story make the headlines displeased him. He even suggests that it smacks of political score-settling. “I don’t care if anyone likes me or doesn’t like me. But I found it cheap. I want to be respected. »
Denis Coderre is a practicing Catholic. “I’m sure I came back from my stroke because there was someone upstairs who helped me. » He nevertheless says he is able to live with Law 21 on the ban on religious symbols, although he considers it unnecessary. He is for public funding of private religious schools (“You want my money, you teach the subjects in the program, including courses on sexuality.”). And he is in favor of building a third link in the Quebec region. Hours of fun among the liberals!
To spice up the debate, he adds: “There are 10,000 too many civil servants. Business needs to be simplified. François Legault has all the powers to resolve the immigration issue. Cities should have the right to request money directly from the federal government. I would say to Pierre Poilievre, I promise not to talk to you about the constitution and to spend the money according to the negotiated agreements. »He is referring here to Jean Charest, who lowered taxes by taking the 700 million he had requested to finance health care. Stephen Harper has never forgiven him.
Denis Coderre got engaged at Christmas with Annie Paré, the woman who has shared his life for nine months. “A remarkable woman,” he said, “and incredibly effective in a room full of activists! »
Man has not changed and will not change. What you see is what you get ! You find him slobbery and arrogant or you find him to be a determined fighter. We are not in the land of nuances.
An influential liberal told me, “I don’t think he’s going to win.” But he has been working in the field for a year. The presidents of associations, mayors, prefects, chambers of commerce… it’s a machine! He is the best known of the candidates. The mistake would be to underestimate it. »
