2013 Quebec Liberal Party leadership election explained

The Quebec Liberal Party held a leadership convention in 2013 following Jean Charest's resignation after the party's 2012 election loss. The convention was held March 16–17, 2013, at the Verdun Auditorium in Montreal. The choice of venue was in part influenced by a lack of funds due to a recent drop in donations to the party.^[1] Philippe Couillard was elected on the first ballot.^[2]

Procedure

Candidates had until December 14, 2012 to be nominated by gathering the signatures of 500 party members from 50 ridings in 10 regions and submitting a $50,000 deposit. There was a $600,000 spending limit. Liberal riding associations in each of the province's 125 ridings were to select 24 delegates between February 4 and March 10, 2013. The party was unable to afford to pay delegates' travel expenses. Instead, the candidates themselves were allowed to reimburse the delegates.^[1] There were 5 debates, including one entirely in English. The rules and timeline were formally adopted on October 21, 2012, the day before the official start of the campaign.^{[3] [4]}

The election was done in a traditional leadership convention format, in which delegates on the convention floor chose the leader. Each riding's 24 delegates was supposed to include an equal number of men and women and 8 members of the youth wing, although some ridings were unable to send a full delegation.^[5] It was the party's first contested leadership convention since 1983.^[6]

Timeline

• April 30, 1998: Jean Charest wins the leadership election to succeed Daniel Johnson, Jr.
• September 4, 2012: The Liberals lose the election, and are reduced to official opposition status.^[7]
• September 5, 2012: Jean Charest announces his resignation as party leader.^[8]
• October 21, 2012: Party members meet to formally adopt the rules of the race.^[3]
• October 22, 2012: Official start of the leadership race.^[3]
• December 14, 2012: Deadline to submit candidate nomination.^[3]
• February 4 – March 10, 2013: Liberal riding associations select delegates.^[3]
• March 17, 2013: Date on which the election was held.^[4]

Candidates

Official candidates

Raymond Bachand

BackgroundMember of National Assembly for Outremont since 2005. Minister of Finance until 2012, former aide to Parti Québécois Premier René Lévesque.^[9]

Date campaign launched: September 28, 2012^[9]

Campaign website:

Supporters

• MNAs: (10) Lawrence Bergman, Marguerite Blais, Rita de Santis, André Drolet, Emmanuel Dubourg, Nicole Ménard, Guy Ouellette, Danielle St-Amand, Christine St-Pierre, Lise Thériault^[10]
• Past MNAs: (4) Lise Bacon, John Ciaccia, Nathalie Rochefort, Guy Saint-Pierre^[10]
• Other prominent individuals: Marc-André Blanchard, former Liberal party president 2000–2008;^[10] Andrée Bourassa, widow of former Quebec premier Robert Bourassa;^[11] Brian Mulroney, former Prime Minister of Canada^[12]

Philippe Couillard

BackgroundMember of National Assembly for Mont-Royal 2003–2007, Jean-Talon 2007–2008. Minister of Health until 2008.^[13]

Date campaign launched: October 3, 2012^[13]

Campaign website:

Supporters

• MNAs: (14) Stéphane Billette, Ghislain Bolduc, Yves Bolduc, Jean D'Amour, Jean-Paul Diamond, Henri-François Gautrin, Sam Hamad, Alexandre Iracà, Yvon Marcoux, Pierre Reid, Jean Rousselle, Gerry Sklavounos, Marc Tanguay, Kathleen Weil^[14]
• Past MNAs: (12) Michel Audet, Raymond Bernier, Raymond Garneau, Patrick Huot, Clifford Lincoln, Norman MacMillan, Michel Matte, Alain Paquet, Jean-Pierre Paquin, Benoît Pelletier, Michel Pigeon, Serge Simard^[14]
• Other prominent individuals:

Pierre Moreau

BackgroundMember of National Assembly for Marguerite-D'Youville 2003–2007, Châteauguay since 2008. Former Minister of Transport.^[11]

Date campaign launched: October 1, 2012^[11]

Campaign website:

Supporters

• MNAs: (13) Pierre Arcand, Julie Boulet, Marc Carrière, Francine Charbonneau, Maryse Gaudreault, Charlotte L'Écuyer, Norbert Morin, Gilles Ouimet, Robert Poëti, Filomena Rotiroti, Stéphanie Vallée, Karine Vallières, Dominique Vien^[15]
• Past MNAs: (1) Jean Cournoyer^[15]
• Other prominent individuals: Suzanne Marcil, wife of former Quebec premier Daniel Johnson, Jr.^[11]

Withdrawn candidates

Jean David

BackgroundFormer Cirque du Soleil marketing vice-president. President of the party's youth wing from 1971 to 1972. Chair of the party's policy commission from 1999 to 2002, when he quit the party. David admitted at the beginning of his campaign he may not be able to meet the requirements to become an official candidate.^{[16] [17]} He withdrew from the race two days before the deadline to submit his nomination papers, after failing to get the requisite 500 signatures in 50 ridings.^[18]

Date campaign launched: October 24, 2012^[17]

Date candidacy withdrawn: December 12, 2012^[18]

Campaign website:

Supporters

• MNAs:
• Other prominent individuals:

Declined

• Pierre Paradis, MNA for Brome-Missisquoi and former cabinet minister.^{[19] [20]}

Opinion polling

All Quebecers

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Raymond Bachand	Philippe Couillard	Pierre Moreau	Other
Léger Marketing Sample size: 1,216	March 7–10, 2013	15%	30%	7%	Don't know (36%) Refused (12%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 1,024	February 5–6, 2013	13%	32%	10%	Don't know (38%) Refused (7%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 1,014	November 21–22, 2012	13%	31%	6%	Jean David (1%) Don't know (42%) Refused (7%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 1,003	October 15–16, 2012	14%	37%	10%	Don't know (32%) Refused (7%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 1,869	September 24–26, 2012	10%	27%	6%	Line Beauchamp (8%) Pierre Paradis (6%) None of these potential candidates (15%) Don't know (26%) Refused (2%)

Liberal supporters only

Poll source	Date(s) administered	Raymond Bachand	Philippe Couillard	Pierre Moreau	Other
Léger Marketing Sample size: 293	March 7–10, 2013	19%	44%	10%	Don't know (24%) Refused (3%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 265	February 5–6, 2013	17%	43%	8%	Don't know (30%) Refused (2%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 230	November 21–22, 2012	14%	34%	7%	Jean David (0%) Don't know (42%) Refused (3%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 286	October 15–16, 2012	16%	48%	12%	Don't know (21%) Refused (3%)
Léger Marketing Sample size: 482	September 24–26, 2012	13%	34%	7%	Line Beauchamp (7%) Pierre Paradis (6%) None of these potential candidates (5%) Don't know (27%) Refused (1%)

Results

= Winner

First Ballot

Candidate Name		Votes	Percentage
	Philippe Couillard	1,390	58.5%
	Pierre Moreau	523	22.0%
	Raymond Bachand	464	19.5%
Total votes cast		2,377	100.0%

Notes and References

1. News: Macpherson . Don . Don Macpherson: Quebec Liberals’ fundraising problems could increase Montrealers’ influence . . December 19, 2012 . December 19, 2012 .
2. Web site: Philippe Couillard wins Quebec Liberal leadership . The Canadian Press . March 17, 2013 . March 17, 2013.
3. Web site: La course à la chefferie officiellement lancée : Le Conseil général du PLQ adopte les règles d’élection . Plq.org . October 23, 2012 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20130114201915/http://www.plq.org/post/la-course-a-la-chefferie-officiellement-lancee-le-conseil-general-du-plq-adopte-les-regles-d-election-905 . January 14, 2013 .
4. Web site: Quebec Liberals define rules for leadership race . Montreal.ctvnews.ca . October 10, 2012 . October 23, 2012.
5. News: Macpherson . Don . (UPDATED) Missing: Quebec Liberal leadership delegates–hundreds of them . . March 11, 2013 . March 16, 2013.
6. News: Quebec Liberals need new leader quick to ‘block’ PQ’s policies: outgoing minister . September 12, 2012. Séguin. Rhéal. September 2012. The Globe and Mail.
7. Web site: General elections. DGE. October 9, 2012.
8. News: MAX HARROLD . The Gazette . Montreal . Quebec Liberal Party leader Jean Charest resigns . September 5, 2012 . October 23, 2012 . October 9, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121009024054/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Quebec+Liberal+Party+leader+Jean+Charest+quit+source/7192639/story.html . dead .
9. Web site: Raymond Bachand running for Quebec Liberal leader . Cbc.ca . September 28, 2012 . October 23, 2012.
10. Web site: Nos appuis . Raymondbachand.ca . November 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121020195638/http://www.raymondbachand.ca/fr/content/nos-appuis-0 . 2012-10-20 . dead .
11. Web site: Authier . Philip . Pierre Moreau kicks off campaign for leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party . Montrealgazette.com . October 1, 2012 . October 23, 2012 .
12. News: Séguin . Rhéal. Charest makes plea for national unity at Quebec Liberal convention . . March 16, 2013 . March 17, 2013.
13. Web site: Authier . Philip . Couillard announces candidacy for Quebec Liberal Party leadership . Montrealgazette.com . October 3, 2012 . October 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121023234110/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Couillard+announces+candidacy+Quebec+Liberal+Party+leadership/7339649/story.html . October 23, 2012 . dead .
14. Web site: Supporters | Philippe Couillard . Philippecouillard.ca . October 23, 2012 .
15. Web site: Supports . PierreMoreau.ca . November 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121206031556/http://www.pierremoreau.ca/ . December 6, 2012 . dead .
16. Web site: Authier . Philip . Jean David a surprise candidate for Quebec Liberal Party leadership . Montrealgazette.com . October 16, 2012 . October 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121101032731/http://www.montrealgazette.com/Jean+David+surprise+candidate+Quebec+Liberal+Party+leadership/7399252/story.html . November 1, 2012 . dead .
17. News: Authier . Philip . Rules aside, David wants in . . October 24, 2012 . October 24, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121101032942/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Rules+aside+David+wants/7436461/story.html . November 1, 2012 . dead .
18. News: Authier . Philip . Jean David drops out of Liberal leadership race . . December 12, 2012 . December 13, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121216024126/http://www.montrealgazette.com/news/Jean+David+drops+Liberal+leadership+race/7690716/story.html . December 16, 2012 . dead .
19. Web site: Authier . Philip . Philippe Couillard camp gains support in Liberal leadership race . Montrealgazette.com . September 18, 2012 . October 23, 2012 . https://web.archive.org/web/20121120070156/http://www.montrealgazette.com/health/Philippe+Couillard+camp+gains+support+Liberal+leadership/7262359/story.html . November 20, 2012 . dead .
20. Web site: Three ex-cabinet ministers in race to replace Charest in top Quebec Liberal job . . December 14, 2012 . December 14, 2012.