QUEBEC CITY – Politics is cruel, unforgiving.
“The linkage of trust and confidence between the Parti Québécois and a great deal of Quebecers is broken,” said PQ MNA Bernard Drainville.
Still reeling from Monday’s defeat, PQ MNAs meeting in Quebec City searched for explanations. Some, such as Alexandre Cloutier, admit the Charter of Quebec Values was too divisive.
“The importance in politics is to add people to our movement which obviously was not the case,” he said.
Others, like Gaétan Lelièvre, think the PQ should have set clear parameters for a referendum.
“It’s one of those existential questions we need to ask ourselves,” said the Gaspé MNA.
Others still believe the PQ could have paid more attention to young voters, who ended up snubbing the election.
“We were up against a lot of cynicism,” said Pierre Duchesne, former Higher Education Minister defeated in Borduas.
No one blamed Pierre Karl Péladeau for the debacle.
Rather, former Environment Minister Yves-François Blanchet, defeated in Johnson, said the PQ fell into the media’s “referendum trap.” Later, all of the PQ candidates – elected and defeated – held a caucus meeting where they maintained the accusation the province’s media gave the Liberals preferential treatment.
“You were manipulated by the Liberal Party,” defeated PQ candidate Dominique Payette told reporters.
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“And social media as well, you know,” added Daniel Breton, “I’ve been harassed, I’ve been insulted, threatened by social media.”
They said the grieving process will take a while, “many seasons.” But the need to rebuild as official opposition is pressing.
Thursday night, the 30 elected PQ MNAs named Stéphane Bédard interim leader. The hot-tempered lawyer promised harmonious relations.
He also pledged to be neutral in the upcoming PQ leadership race. His brother, Éric Bédard, has a close working relationship with Péladeau.
Stéphane Bédard, a former PQ House Leader and President of the Treasury Board, replaces Pauline Marois, at least on an interim basis. He will have the onerous task of leading the Parti Québécois through the difficult times ahead.
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