Mr. Charest,

The current leadership race for the Conservative Party of Canada boils down to one fundamental question: who is the best person to defeat the federal Liberal Party and offer our country a leader who will revive our economy and govern with experience and determination under the Conservative banner?

Your record, even before becoming Premier of Quebec, was already very impressive.

Your 28 years of experience in active politics makes you the right person to take the reins of the Conservative Party and the Government of Canada.

Your resilience is unflinching. The youngest minister in Canadian history at the age of 28, you were one of Brian Mulroney’s most trusted ministers.

Your competence and versatility quickly led you to many key positions as Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of the Environment, Deputy Leader, Minister for Fitness and Amateur Sport, Minister for Youth and Assistant Deputy Speaker in the House of Commons.

Mr. Mulroney has also asked you to take on several important mandates.

An excellent example is the key role you played at the Rio Conference on the Environment.

Your unifying leadership also made it possible, as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, to increase the number of seats from two to 20, demonstrating your effectiveness in a pan-Canadian campaign.

You also initiated the creation of the Council of the Federation and you led the Premiers of Canada’s provinces in negotiating, in 2004, a national health care agreement that recognized the principle of asymmetrical federalism for Quebec and all of Canada.

Your reputation in international trade relations is second to none.

The free trade agreement negotiated between Canada and the European Union (CETA) was your initiative.

Your vast network of contacts is a testament to your influence and to the great respect shown to you by your peers around the world.

You also have extensive experience in economic crisis management, which would be critically important for Canada in this period of great uncertainty.

No other Canadian has a track record as extensive as yours in both the public and private sectors.

You are tailor-made to lead the Canadian people out of the crisis that we are currently going through with COVID-19.

Your ability to lead our country would be in stark contrast to the current federal Liberal government.

Our country badly needs an experienced leader like you to deal with our economic challenges.

We need a seasoned, visionary and unifying politician to curb the division and chaos caused by the federal Liberals.

We need someone who is able to unite our party and rally a majority of Canadians in both official languages.

Mr. Charest, Canada needs you.

Justin Trudeau has led our country into a deep division. His government has failed in its duty to unite our country.

On the economic front and on the management of public finances, Justin Trudeau’s record is disastrous.

Our children and grandchildren will long pay for the damage caused by the federal Liberals over the past six years.

Mr. Trudeau had inherited a more than enviable position, a budget surplus thanks to the responsible management of the previous government led by Stephen Harper.

We are appealing today to your sense of duty in order to turn the tide, unite our country and restore our place on the international stage.

It’s clear from all the above and more, that there is only one person whom we believe is suited for this very important role.

Mr. Charest, please give this your utmost consideration.

  • Alain Rayes, Québec, MP for Richmond-Arthabaska
  • Rick Perkins, Nova Scotia, MP for South Shore—St. Margarets
  • Percy Mockler, New Brunswick, Senator
  • David Sweet, Ontario, Former MP and Caucus Chair
  • Louis Leger, New Brunswick, Chief of staff, Office of the Premier of New Brunswick
  • Dominique Vien, Québec, MP for Bellechasse-Les Etchemins- Lévis
  • John Nater, Ontario, MP for Perth—Wellington
  • Leo Power, Newfoundland and Labrador, Former director, Conservative Fund Canada