Quebec Liberals lunge into leadership race hoping for political redemption
SHERBROOKE, Que. — The two could not be more different, yet both believe they have the right stuff to lead the Quebec Liberals out of the political hinterland.
Dominique Anglade is a 45-year-old former economic development minister in the Couillard government; the daughter of Haitian immigrants, born in Montreal, educated in French. Quick-witted and wise in the ways of politics, Anglade enters the party’s leadership race oozing confidence.
Alexandre Cusson is a 51-year-old former teacher and school board administrator with roots in the regions of Quebec thanks to his past role as president of the Union des municipalités. His current job is mayor of Drummondville. Cerebral and known as a workhorse, Cusson believes he can reconnect the party with francophone voters without ignoring the base.
Neither Anglade nor Cusson are household names and both have their political liabilities, but the Liberals are banking on one of the two to end the purgatory inflicted on the party in the 2018 general election.
“I expect a mix of new ideas, which will spark debate,” party president Linda Caron told 500 Liberal party members in a speech closing a weekend general council meeting where the leadership race was kicked off with gusto.
“Everyone will emerge a winner because together we will define a vision of the future for Quebec.”
The sigh of relief in the party over the late arrival of Cusson in the race — which up until Saturday was not actually a race because Anglade was the lone candidate — was palpable.
In fact, with morale running low after the body blow of the 2018 election defeat, many Liberals seemed happy to have anyone come forward to create a bit of buzz with voters.
Cusson, however, is an unproven political figure on the provincial scene. He starts the race from behind. Anglade has been in the field since June.
And despite several weeks of media hype, his arrival at the council, in the eyes of the media, anyway, fell flat as his answers to questions about his vision were vague at best.
The race “is just starting,” Cusson told reporters Sunday, defending himself. “The objective of the weekend was to meet the members. You are impatient. Did you think I would arrive on the first day and say here is my platform, everything is decided?
“In my life I rallied by listening, not imposing.”
The weakness did not go unnoticed in the Anglade camp.
“I am waiting for his ideas,” Anglade said Sunday when she met reporters. “If we want to have a debate on ideas, there have to be ideas to debate. I await them with impatience.”
Cusson responded with his own shot across the bow, saying unlike Anglade, he did not arrive at the council with stacks of Anglade t-shirts and campaign buttons.
“You’ll notice we don’t have a bunch of gizmos with us today,” Cusson said. “It’s our way of limiting consumption,” Cusson said.
But the unflappable interim Liberal Leader Pierre Arcand, who is officially neutral in the race, stepped in to defend Cusson.
“Give him (Cusson) a chance,” Arcand said. “He just got here.”
But Anglade had to face her own challenging questions, including comments by analysts in some media in the last few days of the existence of an “anybody but Anglade” movement in the party; the argument being that a candidate from a visible minority in Montreal cannot win in the regions.
“It’s a bit the nature of the beast that some people have reticences,” Anglade said, tackling the question head on. “But I think Quebec is beyond that.
“In all the years that I have been going to the regions of Quebec, I’ve seen a level of openness. I think we underestimate Quebecers. Quebecers are absolutely ready for this.”
“That’s not an issue for me,” Cusson said moments later. “This is a debate on ideas, and that’s what we’re going to see.”
But the race is indeed rolling after being set in motion by the party Saturday following a nostalgic evening tribute to the most recent leaders, including Daniel Johnson, Jean Charest and Philippe Couillard.
The winner will become the 15th leader in the party’s 150-year-old history. The election will take place the weekend of May 30-31, 2020, at a convention to be held in Quebec City.
The race could also mark history. If Anglade wins, she will be the first member of a cultural minority ever to win the permanent leadership of a major Quebec political party.
Cusson made his candidacy official Saturday morning.
“I think I have a surprise for you,” Cusson said with a chuckle, arriving surrounded by a surprisingly large gaggle of supporters. “I confirm with lots of enthusiasm that I will be a candidate in the leadership race starting today.”
So how is the race shaping up? Anglade thus far is winning the battle for caucus support. As of Saturday, she had the backing of 11 of the 27 members of the Liberal caucus.
Cusson so far has the support of two MNAs, Marwah Rizqy and Lise Thériault, who were both at his side when he met reporters.
Cusson said he is not concerned about a lack of caucus support because in the final crunch, it will be the entire membership that votes.
Many longtime Liberals are working behind the scenes for Cusson, including former party director-general Sylvain Langis and former cabinet minister Jean-Marc Fournier.
Anglade has the backing of Claude Lemieux, former adviser to Robert Bourassa.