Former MNA Emilise Lessard-Therrien throws hat into Quebec Solidaire co-spokesperson ring

Quebec Solidaire MNA Emilise Lessard-Therrien during question period, Wednesday, April 3, 2019 at the legislature in Quebec City. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jacques Boissinot

The former MNA for Rouyn-Noranda-Témiscamingue, Émilise Lessard-Therrien, has confirmed that she will be a candidate to become the next co-spokesperson for Québec Solidaire (QS).

The party's other co-spokesperson is Gouin MNA Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

Manon Massé's successor will be elected at the party's national convention in November. Massé announced a few weeks ago that she would be stepping down from this role, but would retain her position as MNA.

In a written statement, Lessard-Therrien said that she wanted to take the Quebec Solidaire project to the regions of Quebec, since most of the party's roots are in urban centres. QS has 12 MNAs representing ridings in Montreal, Quebec City and Sherbrooke.

Lessard-Therrien, who has a degree in secondary education from the Université du Québec à Montréal (UQAM), is a native of Duhamel-Ouest, a small town north of Ville-Marie in Témiscamingue. She was elected as a QS MNA in Rouyn-Noranda--Témiscamingue in 2018, but was defeated in the general election last October.

The mother of two young children intends to promote Quebec sovereignty and regionalization in partnership with Indigenous communities.

Mercier MNA for Mercier Ruba Ghazal announced last week that she wants be a candidate to succeed Massé. Her colleague Christine Labrie, MNA for Sherbrooke, said she was considering the matter.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 6, 2023.