Rodriguez gets support of two other female MNAs in the Liberal leadership race

Minister of Transport Pablo Rodriguez rises during Question Period in the House of Commons on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/ Patrick Doyle (PATRICK DOYLE/THE CANADIAN PRESS)

Pablo Rodriguez has received the support of two other elected women in the race for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ).

They are two Montreal-area MNAs: Elisabeth Prass and Brigitte Garceau, who represent the ridings of D’Arcy-McGee and Robert-Baldwin, respectively.

He now has seven endorsements in the Liberal caucus: Désirée McGraw (Notre-Dame-de-Grâce), Linda Caron (La Pinière), Michelle Setlakwe (Mont-Royal-Outremont), Frédéric Beauchemin (Marguerite-Bourgeoys) and Sona Lakhoyan Olivier (Chomedey) are the others so far.

At a news conference on Sunday morning, Rodriguez raised the spectre of a referendum on sovereignty to encourage people not to vote for the Parti Québécois, and declared that voters no longer trust Premier François Legault.

“I feel it, I see it. I’m everywhere. The plates are moving,” he said. “People don’t want François Legault and they don’t want the Parti Québécois and its referendums. A referendum would ultimately lead to instability. Whatever the result, it brings instability, as we saw in 1995.”

For the remainder of the campaign, Prass will advise Rodriguez on mental health, homelessness and social services, in collaboration with Caron, while Garceau will be responsible for youth protection and issues related to women suffering from domestic violence.

Garceau echoed Rodriguez’s comments on sovereignty: “He will always shout loud and clear against all the policies that divide us and against the dangers of Quebec sovereignty. At the same time, he will continue to promote and defend the French language, our culture and heritage, never at the expense of the fundamental rights of minorities.”

“Pablo has shown us over the years that he is an authentic leader, a grassroots activist, an unparalleled unifier and an ardent defender of individual rights and freedoms,” she added.

Prass also emphasized the former federal MP’s long experience: “He embodies the values of the PLQ and I firmly believe that he has the ability to bring back to the party those who have left the fold. He brings the necessary experience to not only become the next leader of the PLQ, but also the next Premier of Quebec,” she declared in the same news release.

“I know I’m repeating myself, but I’m truly privileged to have so many quality people supporting my candidacy! We’re going to work hard to win the leadership and the next election,” said Rodriguez.

The other candidates in the running are former Quebec Chambers of Commerce Federation CEO Charles Milliard, tax lawyer Marc Bélanger and Beauce farmer Mario Roy.

On Friday, Denis Coderre’s application was rejected. In a message shared on X, the party announced that its electoral committee had informed the former Montreal mayor “that it cannot consider his nomination paper to be admissible.”

Under the terms of the leadership race, Coderre may appeal this decision within five days.

He could still file his candidacy if he settles his tax issues before the end of the nomination period on April 11, a Liberal source told The Canadian Press on condition of anonymity, as he was not authorized to speak publicly about the matter.

The election of the new Liberal leader will take place at a convention on June 14.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Feb. 9, 2025.