They are 19 points behind the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) in the latest Leger poll, but the Parti Québécois (PQ) says they have the right strategy to win over voters. It includes recruiting more female candidates.
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In its aim to advance equality among the genders, PQ leader, Jean-François Lisée has named popular Joliette MNA, Veronique Hivon as his running mate, adopting the American-style “ticket.”
If the PQ forms government in October, Lisée will become premier and Hivon will become vice-premier.
“I propose we re-establish vision, sensitivity and empathy in politics,” said Hivon during a speech to party faithful Sunday in Saint-Hyacinthe.
The PQ has also set the goal of running with women accounting for 40 per cent of candidates in the 2018 election.
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“It’s very important to me and to our party. We think that if we want the National Assembly to be more representative of society, we need more women,” said party president, Gabrielle Lemieux.
However, finding women who want to run as candidates is proving challenging.
The 31-year-old drew large applause from the crowd at a PQ convention in Saint-Hyacinthe over the weekend, but Lemieux said she’s not throwing her hat into the political ring.
“No, I won’t be a candidate in 2018,” she said.
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Despite rumours, Quebecers will also not see the name of one female candidate on the ballot. Outgoing president of the nurses federation, Régine Laurent was also a crowd-pleaser at the convention. However, she said she was now retired and would not be running as a candidate.
“I did not leave a job working 80 hours a week for another where I’d work 120 hours a week. I leave that to others,” Laurent said.
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“It’s her choice,” said Carole Poirier, whip of the official opposition. “And I’m very happy she chose to be with us as a collaborator.”
Poirier said “all parties should have 50 per cent women” candidates, adding “it’s not easy” to recruit women. Things like travel and a lack of child care at the National Assembly deter women from the role of MNA.
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One woman who has stepped up to the plate is 25-year old Catherine Fournier, MNA in Marie-Victorin.
“When I look around me at the National Assembly, I am an exception. We don’t really have a lot of young women in politics, so that’s why I’m trying to convince other young women (to run),” Fournier said.
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Fournier said she still believes that hitting the 40 per cent goal is realistic.
“I think the #MeToo movement has created an empowerment and so maybe it will incite some (women) to take action,” she said.