Watch above: Even as they made last-ditch efforts to garner support in their bids to lead the Parti Québécois, neither Martine Ouellet nor Alexandre Cloutier criticized front-runner Pierre Karl Péladeau. Caroline Plante has more.
QUEBEC CITY – On the last day of the Parti Québécois leadership campaign, Martine Ouellet called on women to support her.
“We work more in consultation than in confrontation and I think we need that more in politics,” she told a press conference.
At least 71,000 PQ rank-in-file members are eligible to vote starting Wednesday.
Ouellet argued they should vote for her because of her positions on the Energy East pipeline project, independence and Quebec’s labour code.
However, even as they made last-ditch efforts to garner support, neither she nor Alexandre Cloutier allowed themselves to criticize front-runner Pierre Karl Péladeau.
“I’ve been in all regions of Quebec and obviously there are a lot of people who want to come back to our party, very proud of that, very proud of the leadership race we have done,” said Cloutier.
READ MORE: Péladeau enters PQ leadership race, sovereignty his only goal
Péladeau finished the race with a flourish on Saturday, rallying hundreds of supporters to Montreal’s Corona Theatre. He was barely challenged during debates and, to this day, most of his positions remain ambiguous.
The Liberals and the CAQ said he’s had it easy, but things are about to change.
“Mr. Péladeau doesn’t seem to bring the general debate to a high level,” said the Natural Resources Minister.
“He is attacking the government and not in a positive fashion, and I think it’s very important for the future that all MNAs behave under a certain code of ethics.”
His colleague Municipal Affairs Minister Pierre Moreau added: “Lately he said it was boring to be an MNA.
“Nobody forces him to be here.”
“If he doesn’t like the job, he can just go back home. If he wants to be here, he will have to behave, and I think he will have to behave more properly and in more polite terms.”
Parties are sharpening their knives and promising to hold committee hearings into Péladeau’s media holdings 11 days after the vote.
READ MORE: Quebec National Assembly committee to hear Péladeau case
“More and more we’ll see the PQ declining in the next months and years,” predicted Coalition Avenir Quebec leader François Legault.
In his absence, PKP had a loyal soldier defend him.
“It’s going pretty well actually, and we’re going to see the result on Friday,” said PQ MNA Pascal Bérubé.
The result of the vote will be unveiled Friday night in Quebec City. Ouellet and Cloutier seem to be clinging to the hope there will be a second ballot.
Comments