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Quebec Liberal leadership race: Frederic Beauchemin endorses Pablo Rodriguez

Frédéric Beauchemin will support Pablo Rodriguez in the leadership race of the Quebec Liberal Party. Photo taken in Gatineau on Sept. 3, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang) Frédéric Beauchemin will support Pablo Rodriguez in the leadership race of the Quebec Liberal Party. Photo taken in Gatineau on Sept. 3, 2024. (The Canadian Press/Justin Tang)
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Liberal MNA Frédéric Beauchemin, who declared in the fall that he was entering the race for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP), will instead offer his support to Pablo Rodriguez.

According to two sources familiar with the situation, Beauchemin will announce that he is backing Justin Trudeau's former political lieutenant in Quebec. A press conference is scheduled for Monday morning in Quebec City, the official start of the race.

One of the sources The Canadian Press spoke to, who works in Rodriguez's organization, pointed out that this announcement allows the former federal minister to “start the campaign with a bang,” as he is “the first candidate to endorse another candidate.”

The role that Beauchemin, MP for Marguerite-Bourgeoys, will play in Rodriguez's campaign is expected to be clarified on Monday.

“Pablo is really the only one in a position to rally both long-standing and next-generation Liberals,” said the second source, who worked in Beauchemin's team.

When Beauchemin, the former director and head of capital markets at Scotiabank announced his candidacy in the fall, he had received the support of former Quebec Finance Minister Carlos Leitão and wanted to position himself as the candidate for budgetary rigour and better management of public finances.

On the sidelines of the QLP convention held in Lévis two months ago, he criticised the candidate he now supports for having been part of Trudeau's government, which ran record deficits.

‘He was part of a government that spent like sailors on the run,’ said Frédéric Beauchemin. He was reacting to comments made by Pablo Rodriguez, who had said that ‘we have to find a balance between sound management of public finances and being there for

society’.

The next leader of the QLP will be chosen at the leadership convention on June 15 in Quebec City.

In addition to Rodriguez, the other aspiring leaders are Charles Milliard, former president and director general of the Fédération des chambres de commerce du Québec, Denis Coderre, former mayor of Montreal, and Marc Bélanger, a tax lawyer.

Milliard is also due to hold a press conference on Monday morning, at which he plans to announce, “a major new endorsement.”

This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French Jan. 10, 2025. 

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