Quebec Liberal Party June 2025-

The Corner Booth 2025 in review: The Quebec Liberals ‘need a culture shift’ |
Martine St-Victor and Raphaël Melançon review the year that was —
Legault, Montreal mayoral race, Rodriguez, Carney —13 December

6 July
Liberals recruit former CAQ minister who clashed with François Legault
Pierre Dufour was kicked out of the CAQ caucus after complaining the Abitibi region was not represented in the cabinet.
Pierre Dufour, a former Coalition Avenir Québec minister who now sits as an independent MNA, will run for the Liberals in the October provincial election, Leader Charles Milliard announced Monday.
Milliard is also pledging a new fund to channel mining tax revenue into infrastructure projects in mining regions.
The issue is a key concern in Abitibi-Témiscamingue, where Dufour’s riding is.
Mulcair: As Quebec campaign heats up, here’s my long-range forecast
… As for the hapless Liberals, party leader Charles Milliard, a political novice, hasn’t been seen much in the media. Maybe he’s trying to save his energy for the latter part of the campaign. A strange strategy but perhaps understandable given his recent performance.
After mangling his explanations about the notwithstanding clause, he decided to announce that he’d be suing over PSPP’s statements linking the QLP to organized crime. Then he pulled a Trump and chickened out on his own threat.
The Liberals were recently humiliated when one of their star candidates in the Laurentians, the mayor of Lachute, withdrew his candidacy, barely a week after Milliard had announced it. A telling sign.

30 June
Le maire de Lachute Bernard Bigras-Denis renonce à la course provinciale
C’est sur Facebook, mardi, qu’il a finalement annoncé vouloir respecter son engagement en tant que maire de Lachute, jusqu’aux prochaines élections municipales.
« J’en suis arrivé à la conclusion que la meilleure façon de servir notre région, aujourd’hui, est de respecter l’engagement que j’ai pris envers les citoyens de Lachute et de la MRC d’Argenteuil en poursuivant le travail que nous avons commencé ensemble

9 June
Mulcair: After early missteps, Milliard finds his footing
Over the weekend, the Liberal leader sounded like someone with a credible plan who’s ready to govern.
The formidable arrival of Christine Fréchette as the new CAQ leader (and premier) has given the party reason to believe that its record of mismanagement could be forgiven and voters might give it another chance after eight years in power.
Milliard had so much trouble handling key issues like the notwithstanding clause that he appeared not ready for prime time. Over the weekend, he showed communications and policy strengths we had not seen yet. He’s not to be underestimated.
The key question remains: Which of the two — CAQ or Liberals — will be seen by voters as the vehicle to beat the separatists?
With two-thirds of Quebecers opposed to another referendum, which the PQ has pledged to hold if it forms the next government, strategic voting may come into play as election day approaches.

5-6 June
The Problem is you!
In an op-ed in the Sherbrooke Record, author and columnist Guy Rex Rogers says Quebec’s language debate has become deeply polarized, with many anglophones feeling unfairly blamed for the perceived decline of French despite making significant efforts to learn and use the language. Responding to economist Mario Polèse’s call for English speakers to help protect French, Rodgers says many non-francophones see such appeals as dismissive of the progress they have already made. While francophones often view laws like Bill 96 as necessary to safeguard a vulnerable language and culture, anglophones frequently see them as punitive measures that target minorities without delivering meaningful benefits for French. Drawing on his research into immigrants and education, Rodgers adds English speakers, allophones and newcomers are bilingual than previous generations and have worked hard to integrate into Quebec’s French-speaking society, yet their efforts are overlooked as language requirements continue to expand.
Charles Milliard, heureux dans les deux langues
(TALQ) In an interview with Le Devoir, Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard argued that French and English can coexist harmoniously in Quebec and rejected claims that he reversed his position on using the notwithstanding clause to protect Bill 96. He said the real issue is not the clause itself but whether language policies effectively strengthen French, promising to unveil a new Liberal plan for the protection and promotion of French before summer. Milliard insisted there is little internal party disagreement over language policy and criticized the CAQ government for failing to improve the status of French. Drawing on his experience at Bishop’s University, he pointed to bilingual communities such as North Hatley and the large number of francophone students studying in English as examples of how the province’s two language groups can thrive together, viewing bilingualism as an opportunity rather than a threat.

11-12 May
Thomas Mulcair: Stars begin to align for Quebec Liberals
When big-name candidates step forward, it means serious people believe the party will form the next government.
Among the biggest names expected to be confirmed is Michel Leblanc, the highly respected former head of the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal. Leblanc served as president of that business group for 10 years, and was a steady, oft-quoted presence in key economic files.
The weakest parts of François Legault’s legacy as premier are health care and the economy, with more jobs created in the bloated public sector in recent years than in the private sector. His successor, Christine Fréchette, may be a breath of fresh air on the political landscape, but she can’t pretend she wasn’t there for the last four years of mismanagement by the Coalition Avenir Québec.
Liberals hope to retake Sherbrooke riding; courting chamber of commerce president
Pierre Cossette “has an expertise, credibility, experience and professional maturity,” Liberal leader Charles Milliard says.
…the Liberals…see the Eastern Townships as a key part of their rebuild in the regions where they were almost shut out in the 2022 election.
A doctor and professor in the Université de Sherbrooke health faculty, Cossette was rector of the university from 2017 to 2025. He also was director of the Bureau de coopération interuniversitaire (BCI), the association of Quebec university rectors.
Cossette has also been an outspoken critic of the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s policy of limiting the number of international students in Quebec universities and increasing tuition for students coming from other provinces.

17-24 April
André Pratte: Here’s where Milliard stands on Bill 96 and the notwithstanding clause
The Liberal leader is not wavering. He is stating the obvious: This clause should be invoked only when absolutely necessary.
(TALQ Summary) André Pratte defends Quebec Liberal leader Charles Milliard’s position on Bill 96 and the notwithstanding clause, arguing that critics have falsely equated support for French with automatic support for suspending rights protections. Pratte says the clause should only be used when absolutely necessary because it temporarily blocks citizens from challenging laws under both the Canadian and Quebec charters of rights. He notes that past governments, such as Robert Bourassa’s, used it only after court rulings and for limited periods while seeking a better balance. According to Pratte, Milliard is not wavering but taking a responsible stance by saying he would consider using the clause only if required to protect French. At the same time, Pratte argues it would also be reckless for any premier to rule out using the clause entirely when important issues like Quebec’s language laws are at stake.
Liberal leader nuances his pledge to use the notwithstanding clause on Bill 96
Charles Milliard adjusts his remarks to “maybe” after they spark an uproar in the English-speaking community.
Philip Authier
Faced with a backlash from the English-speaking community and members of his caucus, Liberal Leader Charles Milliard has adjusted his message on the use of the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause to shield Bill 96 from court challenges.
After saying Thursday he would make use of the clause to protect the law adopted by the Coalition Avenir Québec government in 2022, Milliard downgraded that to a “maybe.”
“There will be changes to Bill 96 on the elements I have been talking about for a year and half; that is to say the administrative burden it imposes on companies and the six-month period accorded (for immigrants) to learn French and correspond with the state,” Milliard told reporters at an event he was attending in Lévis.

11 April
As Carney gains in Ottawa, Quebec Liberals pull into first ahead of PQ in Léger poll
After being rocked by recent leadership turmoil, Charles Milliard appears to be stabilizing the party ahead of a fall election.
Prime Minister Mark Carney is in Montreal this week for the Liberal party convention and is riding a wave of momentum after a string of floor crossings to his party in recent months have brought the Liberals to the cusp of a majority in Parliament.
But he is not the only Liberal making gains.
In Quebec, Charles Milliard’s provincial Liberals are leading for the first time in years ahead of a fall election, according to a new poll.
A recent Léger survey, as first reported by TVA, puts the Quebec Liberal Party at 33 per cent, just ahead of the Parti Québécois at 32 per cent, which had led polling since late 2023.

14 March
Sophie Martinbeault, candidate officielle du Parti libéral du Québec dans Nicolet-Bécancour
(PLQ) C’est en présence du chef du Parti libéral du Québec, M. Charles Milliard, de la députée de Robert-Baldwin et marraine de la région du Centre-du-Québec, Mme Brigitte Garceau, et de plus d’une soixantaine de militants de la région que Mme Sophie Martinbeault a été officiellement investie comme candidate du PLQ dans la circonscription de Nicolet-Bécancour.
Âgée de 30 ans, Sophie Martinbeault enseigne depuis près de dix ans en formation professionnelle et est co-fondatrice d’une entreprise agricole biologique à Saint-Wenceslas. Arrivée dans la région il y a neuf ans pour y bâtir un projet maraîcher, elle s’est rapidement engagée dans sa communauté, notamment comme élue municipale.
Diplômée de l’École d’agriculture de Nicolet, elle connaît de près les réalités de la circonscription et de ses quelque trente municipalités, y compris les communautés abénaquises d’Odanak et de Wôlinak.

10 March
Is the CAQ’s controversial Quebec constitution really going to happen?
(CBC) Quebec Liberal Party leader Charles Milliard is urging all parties in the National Assembly of Quebec to abandon the CAQ government’s proposed constitution, Bill 1, arguing that recent consultations showed widespread opposition and failed to build consensus.
“The current conditions are not conducive to uniting Quebecers around a project that requires their concrete and profound support,”
The bill, introduced by Justice Minister Simon Jolin-Barrette under outgoing premier François Legault, aims to establish a Quebec constitution affirming values such as the French language, secularism and gender equality, but critics including civil liberties groups, Indigenous leaders and legal experts say the consultation process was flawed and the proposal is divisive. Although opposition parties have rejected the bill and the government has already been forced to amend parts of it, the governing Coalition Avenir Québec still holds a majority and could theoretically pass it before the end of the legislative session, though Legault’s departure and limited time have cast doubt on whether the controversial project will ultimately move forward.

13-14 February
Quebec Liberal Party: André Fortin to speak on behalf of party leader
Milliard appointed André Fortin as his substitute member of office at the National Assembly as Milliard is not yet an elected MNA.
Milliard also appointed Marc Tanguay as parliamentary leader.
He had previously served as interim party leader between Dominique Anglade’s departure in November 2022 and Rodriguez’s election in June 2025.
Frédéric Beauchemin will keep his position as deputy leader.
Filomena Rotiroti, appointed chief whip of the official opposition in December 2025, is handing over her position to Jennifer Maccarone.
Michelle Setlakew is taking over as caucus chair from Enrico Ciccone.

Melançon: As Milliard takes helm of Quebec Liberals, major challenges lie ahead
The first hurdle: name recognition. Two out of three Quebecers don’t know who is Charles Milliard
Raphaël Melançon
Milliard must quickly build name recognition while positioning himself as a fresh alternative to rivals such as François Legault, Christine Fréchette, Bernard Drainville and Paul St-Pierre Plamondon. Beyond defining himself, he must broaden Liberal support beyond Montreal and improve weak backing among francophone voters by emphasizing his regional roots. Most pressing, however, is repairing the party’s damaged reputation following the “Browniegate” scandal, ongoing legal proceedings involving MNA Marwah Rizqy, and scrutiny from Quebec’s anti-corruption unit, all under the pressure of an election scheduled to take place in less than eight months, and possibly sooner.

Can Charles Milliard fix a fractured Quebec Liberal Party? | The Corner Booth (YouTube)
31 January
Charles Milliard is the last man standing in the race to run the Quebec Liberals.
The runner-up less than a year ago to Pablo Rodriguez was teaching at Bishop’s University when controversy unfolded in the party, which thrusted the political neophyte back into the leadership conversation.
With the only other known candidate, Mario Roy, not being permitted to run, the coast is clear for Milliard to take over a beleaguered party still reeling from Rodriguez’s resignation.
Milliard discussed his plans for healing the fractured Liberals before October’s provincial election

2-3 February
Marwah Rizqy says she ‘never wanted to be excluded’ from Quebec Liberals
The independent MNA returned to the provincial legislature Tuesday, saying she was “at peace” with herself and her recent actions.
Rizqy said she never wanted to be dumped from the Quebec Liberal caucus as a result of her decision, and it will be up to the new leader of party, likely Charles Milliard, to decide if she can re-enter the caucus.
She conceded the situation for her family — she is married to the Liberal MNA for Jacques-Cartier riding Greg Kelley — has been “very difficult.”
Kelley recently revealed he has suffered from mental-health issues as a result of the crisis in the party, which overflowed into their family life.
Rizqy says partisan use of legislature funds led to chief of staff firing
(CTV) Marwah Rizqy is breaking her silence about what prompted her to fire her chief of staff, leading to her expulsion from the Quebec Liberal party caucus last year.
In a statement of defence in a civil lawsuit brought by Geneviève Hinse, Rizqy claims Hinse tried to circumvent the rules of the national assembly by using parliamentary wing funds for partisan purposes.
Rizqy claims that despite warnings, Hinse and former Liberal leader Pablo Rodriguez wanted to violate national assembly rules by hiring staff paid by the legislature for partisan purposes, which circumvents ethics rules.

6-7 January
200 jeunes libéraux se rangent derrière Charles Milliard
À peine lancé dans la course pour succéder à Pablo Rodriguez à la tête du Parti libéral du Québec (PLQ), le clan de Charles Milliard sort déjà une carte de son jeu dans ce qui ressemble à une démonstration de force face à ses adversaires potentiels : il a l’appui des jeunes, dont la pondération des votes compte pour beaucoup.
Quebec Liberal leadership hopeful wants to bring back to ‘bread and butter’ issues
(CTV) He and CJAD 800’s Aaron Rand discussed how the next leader can have the PLQ bounce back in time for the November election.
“Just talking about bread and butter issues and challenges that actually matter to Quebecers will be a huge change from from what we see right now. A little bit less about immigration, identity and sovereignty, and more about healthcare, education, culture, agriculture, mining, forestry, transportation. Those are the issues Quebecers want to hear about. When I’m going to a party in my family or at the grocery stores, people don’t talk to me about the sovereignty of Quebec. They talk to me about the cost of living, about health care and so on. So in 2025 we’ve been talking way too much about the dangerous Canada, dangerous unions, the dangerous doctors. We need more kindness in the political field in Quebec. I know politics is not social dancing, but I think more kindness will be interesting, and more positivism. That’s I want to bring.”
Charles Milliard enters race to replace Pablo Rodriguez as Quebec Liberal leader
“This leadership campaign will be about bringing a stronger Quebec, with a better economy, a transparent government and public services you can rely on.”
“Over the last few weeks, many of you — from every region of Quebec — have contacted me to resume this essential conversation,” Milliard says in the video, standing in front of the National Assembly. “This is why I am announcing I will again seek the leadership for the Quebec Liberal Party.”
Pratte: No need for a pro forma Quebec Liberal leadership race
Time is short and the stakes are high. Charles Milliard has already shown he’s the right candidate for the job.
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.

2025

17-19 December

Hanes: Losing Rodriguez may be a blessing in disguise for the Quebec Liberals
At least they got the controversy out of the way when there was less at stake and still time to regroup.
They’ve just lost their leader on the eve of a critical election year.
They’ve watched any progress they’ve made in recent opinion polls evaporate.
And they find themselves bitterly divided as the fault lines of the last leadership campaign threaten to re-emerge amid recriminations over the events that triggered Rodriguez’s spectacular demise. Star Liberal MNA and then-parliamentary leader Marwah Rizqy fired chief of staff Geneviève Hinse, a longtime Rodriguez ally, for reasons that remain nebulous and she has been expelled from caucus.
But the Quebec Liberal Party has also been handed something extremely rare in politics: a do-over. And that’s an opportunity that may yet prove fortuitous.
Rodriguez did the right thing Thursday in resigning. As he acknowledged in his statement, he had become a distraction. And the party is bigger than one man.
Loyalists felt it was a cruel fate because the allegations of ethical breaches and campaign financing hijinks didn’t implicate him personally.
Fair or not, Rodriguez fell on his sword.
But was he ever the right person for the job?
…he came out on top after two rounds of voting, but it was tight. He had nabbed many early endorsements from caucus members. But Karl Blackburn, a previous Quebec Liberal junior cabinet minister and former head of the Conseil du patronat, entered the contest late. He came third. Political newcomer Charles Milliard, once president of the Fédération des Chambres de commerce du Québec, placed second.

Quebec Liberals: Marc Tanguay resumes job of interim leader after Rodriguez resignation
He served as interim leader for two years and seven months following the resignation of former leader Dominique Anglade in November 2022.
Quebec Liberal leader steps down after weeks of turmoil
Pablo Rodriguez has resigned only 6 months after taking over the post, sources tell CBC News
Quebec Liberal Party Leader Pablo Rodriguez resigned from his post during a meeting with his caucus Wednesday afternoon, sources tell CBC News.
Rodriguez felt he had become too great a distraction and that his presence was hurting the party, sources say.
The rise and exit of Pablo Rodriguez as Quebec Liberal leader
His decision to step down comes after weeks of crisis within the Quebec Liberal Party’s ranks.

16 December
I say this with a heavy heart. Rodriguez must resign
I believe the Liberal leader has done nothing wrong. But the party, and especially the province, are the priority — not the individual.
By Clifford Lincoln
After the last provincial election, the Quebec Liberal Party found itself in the political doldrums — leaderless, rejected by the crucial francophone electorate, relying for its survival on the ridings of the Montreal area, and mired in the polls.
To its credit, it painstakingly began rebuilding itself. It launched Quebec-wide substantive consultations to prepare for the future election, including the all-important choice of a new leader.
… The Liberal party is seen by many as the only hope of returning to the normalcy of peace and social justice. There is an intense distrust of the Coalition Avenir Québec government and its authoritarian laws, edicts and increasingly dictatorial ways, as well as a profound anxiety about a possible Parti Québécois victory and the divisiveness and chaotic impacts of a third referendum.
I share that despondency and the loud consensus that Rodriguez must resign as leader promptly, lest a Joe Biden scenario be repeated.

11 December
A dozen former Liberal MNAs and ministers call on Pablo Rodriguez to resign
Eleven months before the general election is not the time for the party to be mired in a leadership crisis, they argue.
A dozen former Liberal MNAs and cabinet ministers are calling for the resignation of party leader Pablo Rodriguez in a letter making the rounds Wednesday, which will be made public Friday.
Organized by former Liberal MNA Raymond Bernier, a party veteran, the letter to date has been signed by about a dozen inactive, but senior Quebec politicians, including former cabinet ministers Lucie Charlebois, Serge Simard, Jean D’Amour, David Whissell.
Bernier supported Karl Blackburn in last spring’s Liberal leadership race, which was won by Rodriguez. Blackburn placed third behind Charles Milliard, who, thus far, has made no remarks about the crisis affecting the party.
The letter, obtained by The Gazette, lands the same day as Rodriguez tried again to dismiss criticism of his leadership, telling reporters at the legislature: “I’m going nowhere,” despite the calls for his head following news the party is being investigated by Quebec’s anti-corruption unit, UPAC.

19-25 November
Mulcair: Liberal own goal could sink Rodriguez
Just when the Quebec Liberals seemed to have a fighting chance as we inch toward the next provincial election, they’ve decided to blow themselves up.
The Coalition Avenir Québec is at its lowest point ever in the polls, and the Parti Québécois is promising to hold a referendum the vast majority of Quebecers don’t want. A perfect storm for the official opposition Liberals to show their stuff and seduce voters, right?
…  I don’t know if Rodriguez is going to survive this train wreck. In my view, when an internal party dispute is allowed to morph into a full-blown crisis for all to see, this points to poor management skills and a lack of political maturity, judgment and leadership.
As more information rolls in about this Liberal meltdown — and what actually transpired behind closed doors — it may become untenable for Rodriguez to stay on as leader.

Melançon: Quebec Liberals the talk of the town for the wrong reasons
Prospects had taken a turn for the better. Then controversy struck. Can the QLP recover?
The crisis that followed Marwah Rizqy’s decision to fire the official opposition’s chief of staff, Geneviève Hinse — a close friend and longtime adviser to Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez — managed to eclipse everything else in Quebec politics.
If that wasn’t bad enough, the Liberals also were hit with “Browniegate” — anonymous allegations published by Le Journal de Montréal about a vote-buying scheme tied to Rodriguez’ leadership campaign, which remains unproven.
After ousting from Quebec Liberals, chief of staff fires back at Rizqy with lawyer’s letter
… The firing has plunged the Quebec Liberals into a crisis, with Rodriguez’s leadership shaken. Rizqy has yet to publicly explain her decision. On Wednesday, Rodriguez said she has not offered him any explanation. … In the letter, Hinse’s lawyer, Jacques Jeansonne, accuses Rizqy of having “cavalierly claimed to have fired Hinse from her job as chief of staff, notably because of serious misconduct and a breach of confidence,” violating the custom in the party, which is to leave such decisions to the leader.
… Although no details on the firing have emerged, La Presse has reported that Rizqy had accused Hinse of using National Assembly funding to finance partisan activities for Rodriguez, including a recent tour of the regions. Such spending is not allowed.
… Meanwhile, the Liberals have also been mired in another controversy following publication by the Journal de Montréal of a report alleging a vote-buying scheme in the Rodriguez leadership campaign. On Wednesday, Rodriguez called in an external auditor to investigate the report. He said he had no knowledge whatsoever of the allegations.
Marwah Rizqy suspended from Quebec Liberal caucus after ‘breach of trust’
MNA for Pontiac André Fortin replaces Rizqy as parliamentary leader
Rodriguez and Rizqy have known each other for about a decade. He recruited her to be a candidate for the Liberal Party in Hochelaga in the 2015 general election, although Rizqy lost by fewer than 500 votes to her NDP opponent Marjolaine Boutin-Sweet.
During his leadership campaign for the Quebec Liberals, Rizqy and her husband, fellow Liberal MNA Gregory Kelley, supported Rodriguez’s candidacy,
Crise interne au PLQ Rodriguez suspend Rizqy du caucus pour « bris de confiance »

28 October
Mulcair: Is Pablo Rodriguez finally finding his groove?
The Liberal leader homes in on fixing health care and fighting another referendum, issues that are top of mind for Quebecers.
…At that general council, Rodriguez was able to successfully build on an unexpected lifeline thrown his way by the doctors’ union of general practitioners. Their head said that, at Pablo’s request, he was pulling back some pressure tactics during labour negotiations, including the refusal to provide training for the next cohort of residents. It put Rodriguez in the driver’s seat on the issue of health care, even if it did appear somewhat contrived.
He used his positive positioning to implore doctors to hold on for a year and not to take early retirement or leave the province. A clever play that built on the role handed him by the doctors’ union.
Rodriguez played the referendum card ably as well. Of course, the Quebec Liberal Party would be the only game in town when fighting the next referendum if, heaven forbid, there was to be one. But Rodriguez put the Liberals forward as a bulwark against a referendum, and that plays to the desires of a clear majority of Quebecers.
Smart politics. Rodriguez is a seasoned organizer and he understands that having a top team of election candidates is a way to signal momentum. I’m told several marquee names have committed.
They would include Charles Milliard, the second-place finisher in the leadership won by Rodriguez. He is a Liberal in the Bourassa mould, and could play an active role in helping Rodriguez understand today’s Quebec.
I’m also told that Antoine Charest will be running, and that would be exceptionally good news for Rodriguez. The son of Jean Charest would be redoubtable in debate with the Péquistes and represents the young generation that separatists keep claiming as their own.
Other names being floated include former minister Martin Coiteux, senior Liberal legal adviser Nicolas Plourde, and Sacha Cannon, the talented son of former federal Conservative minister Lawrence Cannon.

30 September
Mulcair: Attacks on rights intensify in Quebec. Where’s the Liberal response?
The federal and provincial Liberals still don’t seem to grasp the reality of Quebec’s ongoing assaults on human rights.
There’s no middle ground here. You either have convictions and the courage to defend them, or you stumble into a political trap. Prime Minister Mark Carney and Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez have both fallen right in.
Premier François Legault knows this game well. When he’s not undermining the rights of religious minorities, he’s hacking away at constitutional guarantees of equality between English and French in Quebec’s courts.
It helped give him two majority mandates — but there’s a new kid in town: Parti Québécois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon.
Two years ago, PSPP hopped onto the discrimination dance floor and showed that he really mastered the moves. He gave a full-bore rant against everything from systemic discrimination being taught in Quebec colleges and universities to gender identity issues, lumping them together as the “ideology of the radical left.”
Anyone who thought that this younger leader represented progressive, calm change was soon disabused of the notion.
At the federal level, the Carney government has filed arguments in the case against Bill 21 — the Coalition Avenir Québec law that openly discriminates against religious minorities.
That law has an entire chapter on face coverings that clearly targets Muslim women. Yet Carney has chosen to fight it only on narrow procedural grounds tied to the timing and use of the notwithstanding clause. That’s a thin gruel. …
Rodriguez recently claimed Bill 21 had brought “social peace” to Quebec. That was pure clientelism, an attempt to find short-term political cover. Predictably, it backfired. Instead of showing he “gets” Quebec, it has painted him into a tight corner.
How can Rodriguez say Bill 21 brought peace, then oppose the next anti-minority proposal from the PQ or CAQ?
So what now for Rodriguez? Once you’ve conceded that Bill 21 represents social peace, on what basis do you oppose the next outrage?
No courage. No convictions. No rights.

20 September
Who did Tom Mulcair call ‘one of the worst politicians I’ve ever met?’ (video)
The former NDP leader pulls no punches in his feisty Corner Booth debut.
… He also offered a warning to Pablo Rodriguez, current leader of the Quebec Liberals, saying “he’s walking right into a trap with Bill 21,” the CAQ’s secularism bill that bars teachers, lawyers, police officers and more from wearing religious symbols.
Mulcair added the provincial Liberals remain “in deep trouble outside of Montreal.”

Libman: ‘Where’s Pablo?’ and other urgent questions for Quebec Liberals
Three strikes, you’re out! That was part of what former Parti Québécois Premier Lucien Bouchard was trying to tell current PQ Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon recently about his unwavering promise to hold a sovereignty referendum in his first mandate if he’s elected premier next year. Seemingly anticipating another defeat, Bouchard said the two previous referendum losses, in 1980 and 1995, led to painful setbacks for the sovereignty movement. The former premier also warned PSPP that if a referendum becomes a central campaign issue, it could derail the separatist party’s lead in the polls, making it difficult for the PQ to get elected, and calling it a gift to Quebec Liberals and the federalist side. Which begs the question many have been asking: “Where’s Pablo?” The Liberals chose Pablo Rodriguez to lead them into next year’s election. New polls this week continue to suggest Bouchard’s concerns are justified. But that’s only if Rodriguez starts unwrapping his gift and gets to work much more effectively.

15 July
Michelle Setlakwe
Députée de Mont-Royal–Outremont, Leader parlementaire de l’opposition officielle
It is with pride, humility, and determination that I take on my new role as House Leader of the Official Opposition in Quebec’s National Assembly.
The honour is all the greater as I become the first woman to hold this position for the Quebec Liberal Party.

21 June
Pablo Rodriguez can’t treat anglos ‘as the party wallet’ |video
(The Corner Booth) Political strategist Jennifer Crane, founder of Connexion Quebec Public Affairs, and political analyst Raphaël Melançon, founder of Trafalgar Stratégies, join hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand to break down Rodriguez’s closer-than-expected leadership win, and whether he can bring Quebecers back to the party in time for the 2026 election. “I was surprised he didn’t win as solidly as he thought he was going to win,” Crane said. “Most people I know who are Anglos voted for (second-place finisher) Charles Milliard.”
…the provincial Liberals sit in second place under their new leader, only five points back of the Parti Québécois. With Paul St-Pierre Plamondon’s party ahead and François Legault’s CAQ a distant third, Melançon says sovereignty is back on the table, meaning Rodriguez can position the Liberals as a refuge for voters who don’t want a referendum. …
Quebec Liberals gamble on Rodriguez. Will voters?
By Robert Libman
Did Quebec Liberals shoot themselves in the foot last weekend? Pablo Rodriguez, a former MP and minister under Justin Trudeau, narrowly won the leadership of the provincial party over pharmacist and former head of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Charles Milliard. The Liberals face an uphill challenge. To win next year’s election, they must wrestle back the support of francophone voters who make up 80 per cent of the electorate. For the past several years, francophone support has been languishing at or below 10 per cent. The Liberals are largely the default party for non-francophones concentrated primarily in the Montreal area. Montreal Island and Laval, however, comprise only 33 of 125 ridings. As the Coalition Avenir Québec and Parti Québécois have shown, you can win elections without Montreal, but you can’t win without the overwhelmingly francophone regions covering the rest of Quebec.
… On language issues, Rodriguez has recently been criticizing the CAQ government’s actions as divisive, saying he would modify Bill 96 by eliminating two irritants — the search and seizure provisions and six-month grace period for immigrants to receive government services in English. He also promises to reverse tuition hikes that penalize English universities, and he opposes the pre-emptive use of the notwithstanding clause. But as he inevitably faces pressure to solidify his pro-Quebec credentials or acknowledge “the decline of French,” will the standard recoil reflex to throw anglophones under the bus kick in? He certainly didn’t object to Bill 96 as Trudeau’s Quebec Lieutenant, and he supported the Official Languages Act revision (C-13) that compromises minority-language protections for Quebec anglophones.

14 June
Quebec Liberals choose Pablo Rodriguez as new leader of party
(Montreal Gazette) The Quebec Liberals have elected former federal Liberal MP Pablo Rodriguez as the new leader of their party. On the second round of voting because no candidate achieved a majority of 50 per cent plus one in the first, Rodriguez narrowly beat out his last contender, Charles Milliard, the former president of the Fédération des chambre de commerce du Québec, on Saturday. Rodriguez, who had been considered the front-runner in the contest over the last weeks, won the leadership with 195,473 points or 52.3 per cent of the vote. Milliard was not far behind, earning 178,527 points or 47.7 per cent of the vote.
Milliard told reporters afterward that he was proud of his score after entering the race with zero and almost as an unknown. He said he met with Rodriquez right after the vote and offered his support. “I…asked him to take good care of the party and be vigilant because the party is precious,” Milliard said, repeating that he still intends to run for the party in 2026 in the riding of Orford.
… To the surprise of many, former Roberval MNA and party veteran Karl Blackburn did not survive beyond the first ballot. He placed third with 103,265 points or 27.6 per cent. Milliard beat him narrowly with 107,345 points or 28.7 per cent, allowing him to face Rodriguez in a final round.
Under the election regulations, only the top two candidates, Rodriguez and Milliard, were left on the ballot for the final tabulation of votes. It was based on the Liberal members’ second and third candidate preferences. The party opted for a preferential two-round voting system, which made predicting the results very difficult. Each of Quebec’s 125 ridings had the same clout in the vote with each assigned 3,000 points. Of the total, 1,000 points were reserved for youth members.

11 June
Can Rodriguez dodge the “Anyone But Pablo” movement developing in Québec Liberal race?
Andrew Caddell
It is not just Pablo Rodriguez’s name or urban swagger that may hold him back—he has little growth potential among young people
(Hill Times) Fearing political oblivion, the Liberals have gone out of their way to not offend francophone nationalist voters, who are not their natural constituency.
For example, they did not oppose Bill 4, the shortest law in the Commonwealth, which offered to make the oath to the King—a constitutional requirement—optional. They followed that up with support for a unanimous resolution demanding the elimination of the post of lieutenant governor, the day after Indigenous leader Manon Jeannotte’s appointment was announced last December. They voted in favour of a motion denouncing bilingualism, another repudiating Prime Minister Mark Carney’s call for “One Canadian economy, not 13,” and joined in calling for the end of the monarchy the day King Charles left Canada last month.
The leadership race has attracted five candidates: Rodriguez, and a series of former candidates and business types. Marc Bélanger, a tax lawyer, ran and lost in two long ago federal elections. Karl Blackburn, former MNA in Roberval and recently president of the Conseil du patronat du Québec business group, was seen as a front runner and came in late. Charles Milliard was the president of the Federation of Quebec Chambers of Commerce, while Mario Roy is an economist and farmer.
What is truly astonishing is the vast majority of Rodriguez’s support comes from anglophone MNAs. The former Trudeau cabinet minister was known on Parliament Hill as a hypernationalist who publicly denied there was such a thing as a native anglophone community in Québec.
Rodriguez is also one of the architects of Bill C-13, which applies the rules of the Charter of the French Language on federal employees and federally regulated businesses, and declares French Canadians as the only linguistic minority in Canada. In the passage of Bill C-13, I heard from several anglophone MPs that the Trudeau PMO—egged on by nationalists like then-heritage minister Rodriguez—discouraged them from voting against Bill C-13, with promises their nomination papers might not be signed in 2025.
The greatest irony of the raft of endorsements for Rodriguez is that his MNA supporters are presuming he can win a majority. I have been reading about and participating in Quebec politics since I was a teenager in the 1960s. I live in one of the rural “regions,” and I don’t see Rodriguez cleaning up here. It is not just his name or his urban swagger—he has little growth potential among young people.

10-11 June
Mulcair: Progressive voices from all sides take a stand for Quebec unity
…the Quebec Liberal leadership race now takes on new significance. Voting has begun to choose a permanent leader, and the stakes are high.
The choice seems to be coming down to experienced Quebec politician and business leader Karl Blackburn and former federal minister Pablo Rodriguez, who sat at the cabinet table for every boneheaded economic decision of Justin Trudeau.
The growing momentum behind Blackburn is worth noting. I’ve known Blackburn for decades. He is the only candidate with experience in the National Assembly and brings with him a deep understanding of Quebec and its regions. He has a businessman’s eye for the economy, grounded in his roots in the resource-rich Saguenay—Lac-St-Jean region, and an engaged approach to social issues. Few understand the Quebec model as well as he does, including our approach to resource development that treats First Nations as genuine partners, as exemplified by the Paix des Braves.
See Karl Blackburn on how Quebec Liberals can beat the CAQ
It’s been a long, cold, wet spring. But there is, indeed, some sunlight on the horizon.
Course à la chefferie du Parti libéral du Québec: que le meilleur gagne!
… Jusqu’à la dernière minute, on a cru qu’il n’y aurait qu’un nombre très restreint de candidats.
Or, celui qui sera choisi par les membres héritera du PLQ dans un contexte tout à fait différent de ce qu’il était il y a deux ans. …
La dégringolade de la CAQ, ses échecs consternants, son incapacité à livrer ses projets phares, la remontée du sentiment nationaliste provoquée par les attaques de Donald Trump envers la souveraineté du Canada et l’incertitude économique viennent ouvrir la voie à un retour du PLQ comme la seule option valable pour de nombreux Québécois en 2026.
Si le mode de scrutin et le système de pointage du parti rendent l’issue du vote imprévisible, la journée du 14 juin n’en sera que plus palpitante.
Quebec Liberals vote for new leader Saturday; five candidates (video)
“Whoever takes over will have to be very regional,” said political analyst Karim Boulos about the Quebec Liberal leadership race. With five candidates, the new leader must rebuild the struggling party.

7 June
Karl Blackburn on how Quebec Liberals can beat the CAQ
(The Corner Booth) … A late entry into the [QLP Leadership] contest is Karl Blackburn, former MNA for Roberval from 2003 to 2007, and a chief organizer for the party. Blackburn also served as the president and CEO of the Conseil du patronat du Québec (CPQ), the province’s largest employers’ group. The Quebec Liberal leadership candidate joined hosts Bill Brownstein and Aaron Rand to lay out his vision for uniting the Liberal base in Montreal with the vote-rich regions of the province. Blackburn feels his Lac-St-Jean bonafides will serve the party well outside of the 514-450.
Blackburn talked about his opposition to the CAQ government’s language, education and health-care bills. He also commented on the “anyone but Rodriguez” sentiment brewing in the race against the early front-runner, former Montreal-area federal minister Pablo Rodriguez. “The PLQ are not going to be a government anymore if we’re not able to reconnect with the regions, and this is my strength,” Blackburn said in response to what would make him a more attractive candidate than Rodriguez.

2 June
Quebec Liberal leadership race: Economist Mario Roy shares his ‘big ideas’
(CTV) Roy: I started my campaign with one idea, one proposition that is completely different from the others. I’m suggesting nationalizing residences for older people. The reason is that over the past decade we’ve lost a number of residences for older people all over the regions but all over Quebec. We’ve seen a lot of residences that have been closing over the past years, and I’m suggesting to nationalize them for two reasons.