Denis Coderre recently joined the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ), where he wants to become leader, and is urging “disappointed” Liberal voters to return home. However, according to him, the political party must first “take responsibility” and recognize that it is no longer in touch with French speakers.
Posted at 3:35 p.m.
“I invite all liberals to come back. I understand that you were disappointed at the time. There are liberals who voted strategically, but now is the time. […] Come on, we're going to have fun,” the former Montreal mayor said in the press crush as he entered the PLQ offices in Montreal.
Mr. Coderre described himself as a “centre-extremist” and argued for a race for party leadership “without coronation.” “There needs to be a debate about ideas. There is a lot to do, but above all the Liberal Party must become the alternative again,” he emphasized.
The 60-year-old received formal support on Friday from the president of the Liberal Association of the Lévis constituency and general secretary of the party's youth commission, Christopher Sirois.
In a letter to Liberal authorities, Mr Sirois claims that Denis Coderre “could bring members back to our party to take part in the recovery”, claiming that the main person concerned “has extensive experience in politics at both the local and state levels “. , which could be invaluable in managing provincial records.”
“We will take responsibility”
When asked about his diagnosis of the PLQ, the ex-mayor replied that the party had “not abandoned the French-speakers” but, on the other hand, had “not established a connection with them”. “It has to be a viable alternative. We forgot two important verbs: the verb “to be” and the verb “to accept”. It's always someone else's fault. No, look, we will take responsibility,” he insisted, speaking of the liberal troops.
In the near future, Mr. Coderre wants to make local governments, immigration and the regions his priorities in the upcoming leadership contest.
“It’s time to listen to activists. It is important to talk to people and listen to them. And it is time for us to listen to the regions,” he said, addressing recent internal disagreements among CAQ members. “It doesn’t feel like a crowd, it feels like group therapy. »
The man, who was also federal deputy for Bourassa for more than 15 years, assures that he will not run into a “conflict of interest” with his lobbying mandates, a problem that seriously preoccupied him during the last municipal election campaign in 2021.
He is also busy with three actors. These are United for Life, a housing project for autistic people, Stingray, a music and video services company, and the Helios Group, a Longueuil-based company specializing in drinking water management. “From the day I decide to leave, I will be in politics full-time,” concluded Mr. Coderre.