MONTREAL – Documents obtained by the Canadian Press reveal that the three candidates running for the provincial Liberal leadership were late converts to the cause as Raymond Bachand, Philippe Couillard and Pierre Moreau all joined the party after their 45th birthdays.
Liberal leadership hopeful Raymond Bachand’s flirtation with the Parti Québécois (PQ) lasted longer than he cares to admit, according to an inspection of his political contributions filed at the Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) for the period 2000 to 2013.
In fact, the documents suggest that Bachand was closer to the PQ than the Quebec Liberal Party until 2003.
Bachand has said that his ties to the Parti Quebecois were something in the distant past, indeed he was known for being part of the team that sculpted Rene Levesque’s 1980 referendum strategy.
Bachand only joined the Liberal Party in 2005 at age 58 when he became MNA for Outremont. He continued to contribute to the Liberals every year since, except for 2012.
His leadership opponents, particularly rival Pierre Moreau, have not hesitated to cast doubts on his Bachand’s commitment to federalism, noting that Bachand’s top adviser Andre Sormany was also a top PQ strategist.
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Documents also reveal that his fellow leadership contender, Philippe Couillard has not contributed to his own Liberal party since 2007.
Couillard, a former health minister, quit in June 2008 to rejoin the private sector and only pitched into the Liberal party for the years he was in power: 2003 to 2007.
Couillard joined the Liberals in 2002 at age 45 but did not renew his membership after 2008. He renewed his membership last year upon deciding to run for the party leadership.
Both Bachand and Couillard gave around $500 a year per year of donation, well under the maximum of $3,000.
The third candidate, Pierre Moreau, pitched into the Liberals coffers each year between 2001 and 2012, usually at the tune of around $1,000 per year, peaking with a contribution of $2,000 in 2004.
He has never donated to the PQ or any other provincial party.
Moreau obtained his Quebec Liberal Party membership card in 2002, at age 45.
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