Pratte: No need for another Quebec Liberal leadership race

Charles Milliard has confirmed he will once more be a candidate for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. The first question Liberals must now ask themselves is whether they want a leadership race or a coronation for the former head of the Quebec federation of boards of trade.

While most of us were celebrating the holiday season, members of the QLP’s executive committee were working on setting up the process that will guide the election of the party’s next leader, after Pablo Rodriguez’s resignation last month. The race will officially begin Jan. 12. Candidates will have until Feb. 13 to meet the party’s conditions. If there are more than one candidate, the vote will be held in March, with the winner announced March 14.

The task ahead for the QLP is monumental. With Rodriguez’s departure, the staff that he had brought with him to organize the party, find candidates and write a platform for the Oct. 5 general election have also left, leaving the party in a state of disarray. Thankfully, the Liberals quickly appointed former MNA Patrick Huot as director general of the party, a position he competently occupied before.

Although not well known yet by voters, Milliard finished a close second to Rodriguez in last year’s leadership race. It was said he did not have enough political experience. Yet, in my view, he ran the best campaign and performed the best in the six debates organized by the party, along with putting out an original platform with several new ideas and showing he is a competent speaker in French and English.

Among other names mentioned as possible candidates is that of Guy Cormier, the former CEO of Mouvement Desjardins. Rumour has it Cormier has ruled out running.

Lawyer Marc Bélanger and farmer Mario Roy — marginal candidates in last year’s race — are hinting they would like to run again. The party should discourage such frivolous candidacies.

There are very good arguments in favour of holding a leadership race: A race tests each candidate’s political abilities. It allows for a debate of ideas. It attracts media attention.

However, the provincial Liberals had a leadership race just six months ago — a contest that lasted nine months. They know what Milliard is capable of. In my view, a leadership race would only be useful if new, high-quality candidates emerge as rivals to Milliard.

By high-quality candidate I mean someone whom Quebecers will perceive as capable of occupying the very demanding position of premier of the province.

Former Via Rail CEO Yves Desjardins-Siciliano has indicated he is “still open” to putting his name in the hat. Although he is well-connected in Quebec business circles, Desjardins-Siciliano is not known by the public or QLP members. At this juncture, his potential candidacy risks hurting the party more than helping it. The hoped-for media attention might not be all positive.

The QLP is in a rush. It can ill afford a leadership race unless there is a serious challenge to Milliard’s run. A race would cut by at least one month the already short period of time to the next election — a crucial vote because it will determine whether Quebecers will be called upon to decide, once again, whether they want to separate from Canada.

The Parti Québécois’ commitment to hold a sovereignty referendum comes at a time when we should be spending all our energy on protecting our collective sovereignty from Donald Trump’s United States. It also comes at a time where most Quebecers are much more preoccupied with the cost of living, housing shortage and poor state of public services than they are with constitutional issues.

Milliard will make a very good leader for the Quebec Liberal Party. There is no need for a pro forma leadership race.

André Pratte, a former chair of the Quebec Liberal Party’s policy committee, works with the strategic advisory firm Catalyze4.

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