Analysis: The big schmooze — Quebec Liberal leadership candidates try to woo party youth

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They came, they shook hands, they made nice.

The declared and potential candidates for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party dropped in on the annual convention of the party’s youth wing Saturday looking for friends and, ultimately, votes.

And even if potential candidate Pablo Rodriguez, the federal transport minister, was not actually at the event, he made his presence felt, fuelling even more rumours he may want to take a shot at the job.

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He is the first potential candidate to bag the support of a member of the caucus: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce MNA Désirée McGraw, who announced her support Friday and made a point of meeting reporters to explain her early endorsement.

McGraw, who said she has been friends with Rodriguez for 20 years, played up one key asset Rodriguez has that some of the greener candidates lining up to run in the race don’t have: experience.

She urged Liberals to think about who has the makings of a candidate ready to take on Premier François Legault and potentially lead their party out of the political hinterland.

“Who won so many elections? Who has proven himself in Quebec?” McGraw asked. “It’s time to get serious and consider people with a track record, who have proven themselves, and Pablo Rodriguez has proven himself.”

She downplayed the fact Rodriguez, who is on vacation, is seen in some circles as carrying too much Ottawa baggage.

One line of thinking is Rodriguez would be at a disadvantage because he has ruffled too many feathers in Quebec City in his role as Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Quebec lieutenant. That would make him an easy target for the Coalition Avenir Québec government.

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“If ever Pablo Rodriguez runs, he will be coming back to his political roots, and they are in the Quebec Liberals,” McGraw said.

Later, a Quebec aide to Rodriguez called in reporters to interview two youth-wing members who he said declared themselves Rodriguez supporters.

“He’s a winner — he’s shown it in the past,” said youth-wing member Elliott Grondin.

The Rodriguez factor almost overshadowed the other big news of the weekend: the Liberals actually have a leadership race on their hands, despite predictions a few months ago nobody would want to lead the moribund party, which is polling at six per cent among francophones.

On Friday, Charles Milliard, former president of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, announced he has decided to run after mulling over the idea all summer.

He is the second candidate to declare, after former Liberal MP and former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre.

Wearing bright sneakers, Milliard, who was once a member of the Liberal youth wing, arrived at the convention with a group of young Liberals in tow. In a display of his organization, many wore bright green “Charles” T-shirts.

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“Today, we are demonstrating it is possible to renew the Liberal Party of Quebec,” Milliard said, repeating his plan to run. “Seeing the party now, which is not where it should be in the polls, motivates me.”

He announced he is entering the Quebec political arena for a 10-year period — a promise Legault made himself when he launched the Coalition Avenir Québec in 2011.

“The plan I have in mind is a 10-year project,” Milliard said. “Regardless of what happens in the leadership race — even if I intend to win it and the general election in 2026 and 2030, we never know what will happen — I will be around.”

Frédéric Beauchemin, the Liberal MNA for the riding of Marguerite-Bourgeoys and a potential leadership candidate, also arrived surrounded by a crew of young Liberal supporters.

Beauchemin said he is not ready to announce he is entering the race, despite Milliard’s decision. Both were seen working the halls throughout the day. With 33 per cent of the votes in the leadership race, the youth wing represents an important pool of Liberals for any candidate.

“For me, it’s important to have all the elements pulled together (before announcing),” Beauchemin said. “I am very close. I am nervous; I am very excited.”

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The last to arrive — and the first to leave — was Coderre, who arrived with a few supporters.

In an earlier post on Facebook, he was critical of the youth wing’s choice of weekend theme, renewing federalism, saying he prefers to talk about “reinforced federalism.”

He argued Quebecers have other issues on their minds than the Constitution.

“We can play semantic games on a Scrabble table, but enough is enough,” Coderre said.

The one no-show on Saturday among those known to be considering a leadership run was Victoriaville Mayor Antoine Tardif.

At the convention, which drew about 200 young Liberals, there was excitement that a race was actually happening, perhaps fuelled by the recent slide of the CAQ.

A series of proposals on renewed federalism was adopted, including allowing the party in power to organize “direct consultations” of voters on other themes on the same ballot during an election. The themes would relate to issues considered fundamental to the Quebec nation, such as immigration.

Youth executive members said later the referendums would not be legally binding and would be essentially symbolic.

With the race set to officially kick off in January, Quebec Liberal officials confirmed the party will hold five candidates’ debates leading up to the election of the new leader in June 2025.

One of the five debates will be in English and one will be organized by the youth wing.

pauthier@postmedia.com

twitter.com/philipauthier

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