MONTREAL - Expecting an election this spring, Francois Legault revealed six new candidates for his Coalition avenir Quebec on Sunday.
According to Legault, the six candidates are committed to a newer and better Quebec, with the experience to make it happen. He confirmed that the new caquistes will carry the party's flag in Montreal and the Monteregie.
With lawyers, teachers, business people and candidates with young families, the CAQ leader spoke about the team's diversity during a press conference in Montreal.
"I think that it's a good example of how we can put all communities together to have this new party that is there for all Quebecers but making sure that it moves in Quebec," said Legault.
Lawyer Julie Boncompain will run in Mercier, while another lawyer, Paola Hawa will represent the party in the West Island riding of Jacques-Cartier.
"I am most proud to be a West Island soccer mom—and I'm a parent like so many others who wants to ensure that my daughters have a future on the island of Montreal, in the West Island and in the province of Quebec," said Hawa.
Hydro-Quebec employee Chantal Soucy will be vying for the off-island riding of Vercheres, while businessman Denis Leftakis will do the same in Chateauguay.
"We'll have also candidates that as you know cannot be public today because of their jobs, but I promise you that we'll have a team that is ready to manage Quebec and to relaunch Quebec," said Legault, promising to announce more candidates in the future.
George Manolikakis, a leader in the Greek community for the past three decades, will be the caquiste standard-bearer in Saint-Laurent. Elementary school teacher Jean Francois Roberge will try his luck in Vachon.
While the group of candidates is light on political experience, analysts say that the choice of fresh faces could pay off in Quebec.
"If they want to represent change they can't only run candidates that we know and that have been warmed up leftovers from the National Assembly," said political analysts Jean Lapierre. "They've got to bring in some new people, a new generation."
The CAQ will hold its first party congress in Victoriaville on April 20 and 21, where the upstart party's members will develop the ideology and platform it will present to Quebecers during the expected 2012 election.
Quebec solidaire's 16 new candidates
The spokesperson for Quebec solidaire, Francoise David, refreshed the left-wing party's slate on candidates on Sunday.
Citing the diversity of the nine women and seven men who will run with QS, David said that the candidates were "rooted in their communities." The party is planning to run a full field of 125 in the next election and is vowing to respect gender parity.
Speaking in Montreal, Mercier MNA Amir Khadir repeated that dealing with social inequality was the party's main priority. Khadir will table a motion of non-confidence this week against the Charest government, calling for the Quebec Liberals to cease "privileging the profits of corporations."
Meanwhile, the Parti Quebecois held a news conference this afternoon to accuse the Liberals of mishandling two major transportation projects.
Public opinion polls show a three-way race between the PQ, Liberals and Coalition, though the CAQ's popularity has dropped considerably in the past few weeks.
With files from The Canadian Press.
