MNA Virginie Dufour endorses Charles Milliard in Quebec Liberal leadership race

Quebec Liberal Party leadership candidate Charles Milliard leaves after a media availability as the Quebec Liberal Party caucus meets in Gatineau, Que., on Tuesday, Sept. 3, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Justin Tang

The MNA for Mille-Îles in the Laval region, Virginie Dufour, has endorsed Charles Milliard in the race for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ).

"Virginie represents what I want in my team for the leadership race. She is rigorous, studious and deeply nationalistic: Quebec first, Quebec above all, Quebec always," he said at a press briefing in the National Assembly on Wednesday.

Milliard said that the support of a Laval MNA was "important," as the region represented "the road back to victory for the PLQ."

Virginie Dufour said she had spoken to all the aspiring leaders. "My choice is clear: I have chosen the person who I believe has the greatest potential to rebuild bridges with the whole of Quebec. Charles really impressed me with his humanity," she explained.

Milliard thus became the third candidate to receive support from the Liberal caucus. The MNA for Chomedey, Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, has endorsed her colleague, Frédéric Beauchemin, the MNA for Marguerite-Bourgeoys.

Former federal minister Pablo Rodriguez has received the support of Désirée McGraw, the MNA for Notre-Dame-de-Grâce.

The other two declared candidates, former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre and tax lawyer Marc Bélanger, still have no support within the caucus.

Before entering the race, Milliard was CEO of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec.

The leadership race officially begins in January 2025. The new party leader will be chosen in the summer of that year.

The next Liberal leader will have to work hard to win back the hearts of voters, particularly francophones.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on Oct. 2, 2024.