2015 Parti Québécois leadership election

The 2015 Parti Québécois leadership election was held from May 13 to May 15, 2015 as a result of the resignation of Parti Québécois leader Pauline Marois after the defeat of her government in the April 7, 2014 provincial election.

2015 Parti Québécois leadership election
13–15 May 2015
Turnout79.9%
 
Candidate Pierre Karl Péladeau Alexandre Cloutier Martine Ouellet
Party Parti Québécois Parti Québécois Parti Québécois
Percentage 57.58% 29.21% 13.21%
Leader before election

Stéphane Bédard (interim)

 Elected Leader

Pierre Karl Péladeau

Procedure

The election was conducted using a one member, one vote formula. Each member of the Parti Quebecois was allowed to vote by phone or on the web from May 13 until May 15. If there is not a majority for a candidate (50% +1) on the first ballot, there will be a run-off ballot between the two candidates who had the most votes on the first ballot. If a second ballot was required, it would have been held from May 20 until May 22. To be nominated, a candidate needed to collect 2,000 signatures aggregated from 50 ridings, in 10 regions and pay $20,000 to be listed on the first ballot. If there were a second ballot, candidates would have had to pay an additional $5,000. The spending limit was $400,000. A proposal to allow a vote open to non-members was defeated.[1][2][3]

Timeline
  • April 7, 2014: General election results in the defeat of the incumbent PQ government. Pauline Marois, who lost her seat in the National Assembly of Quebec, announces that she will be resigning as party leader.
  • April 10, 2014: Stéphane Bédard chosen interim parliamentary leader by the PQ caucus.[4]
  • May 13, 2014: Former Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe announces he will not be a candidate for the PQ leadership despite polls showing him to be the most popular choice of the potential candidates.[5]
  • June 7, 2014: Marois' resignation takes effect; Parti Québécois Council of Presidents meets to discuss the party's future course and the timing and rules for the leadership election. A decision on setting a date for the election was deferred until the fall. A proposal was made to hold an open primary in which all Quebeckers could vote for the party's leader.[6][7][8]
  • October 4, 2014: PQ riding association presidents met in Sherbrooke, Quebec to decide rules and timeline for leadership election.[1]
  • October 14, 2014: Nomination period opens.
  • October 14, 2014: Martine Ouellet declares her candidacy.
  • October 20, 2014: Bernard Drainville declares his candidacy.
  • October 21, 2014: Pierre Céré declares his candidacy.
  • October 27, 2014: Alexandre Cloutier declares his candidacy.
  • October 31, 2014: Jean-François Lisée declares his candidacy.
  • November 27, 2014: Pierre Karl Péladeau declares his candidacy.
  • January 23, 2015: Lisée withdraws.
  • January 30, 2015: Deadline for candidates to be nominated.[2]
  • March 11, 2015: First official debate is held in Trois-Rivières
  • April 1, 2015: Second debate is held in Sherbrooke
  • April 15, 2015: Third debate is held in Quebec City
  • April 22, 2015: Drainville withdraws, endorses Péladeau.[9]
  • May 3, 2015: Fourth debate is held in Rimouski
  • May 7, 2015: Fifth debate will be held in Montreal
  • May 10, 2015: Céré withdraws, endorses Ouellet and Cloutier.[10]
  • May 13–15, 2015: First ballot voting[2]
  • May 15, 2015, 9pm: First ballot results announced at the Quebec City Convention Centre[11]

Declared candidates

Alexandre Cloutier
Background
Alexandre Cloutier, MNA for Lac-Saint-Jean

MNA for Lac-Saint-Jean (2007–present), Minister for Canadian Intergovernmental Affairs, the Canadian Francophonie and Sovereignist Governance (2012–2014).[12]

Date candidacy declared: October 27, 2014[12]
Supporters
Support from caucus members: (3) Gaétan Lelièvre,[13] Véronique Hivon,[14] François Gendron[15]
Support from former caucus members: (9) Louise Harel,[16] Louise Beaudoin,[17] Stéphan Tremblay,[18] Léo Bureau-Blouin,[19] Jean-Marie Claveau, Henri Lemay, Denis Trottier, Cécile Vermette[20]
Other prominent supporters: Richard Nadeau (former MP), Serge Ménard (former MP), Claude Patry (MP)[21]
Policies: Wants to PQ to stop being a "carbon copy" of the past and has stated education and youth is his top priority.[22]
Martine Ouellet, MNA for Vachon

Martine Ouellet
Background

MNA for Vachon (2010–present), Minister of Natural Resources and Wildlife (2012–2014).[23] An engineer by training.[24]

Date candidacy declared: October 14, 2014[24]
Supporters
Support from caucus members:
Support from former caucus members: (3) Émilien Pelletier,[25] André Gaulin
Other prominent supporters: France Bonsant (former MP), Thierry St-Cyr (former MP),[20] Sylvie Legault (2014 candidate in Mercier),[26] Michel Parent (president of Montreal’s blue collar workers’ union), JiCi Lauzon (actor),[27] Pierre Céré, (2015 leadership candidate and 2014 MNA candidate in Laurier-Dorion)[10]
Policies: Calls for a sovereignty referendum during her first term leading a PQ government,[28] and has stated environmentalism and social-democracy are at the heart of her campaign.[29]

Pierre Karl Péladeau
Background

MNA for Saint-Jérôme (2014–present), principal shareholder and former president and CEO of Québecor Inc.[30]

Date candidacy declared: November 27, 2014[30]
Supporters
Support from caucus members: (15) Nicole Léger, Harold LeBel, Pascal Bérubé,[31] Maka Kotto, Claude Cousineau, Dave Turcotte, Nicolas Marceau,[32] Sylvain Rochon, Diane Lamarre, Bernard Drainville,[9] Sylvain Gaudreault, Guy Leclair, Sylvain Roy, Alain Therrien, Mathieu Traversy[20]
Support from former caucus members: (35) Bernard Landry (former Premier of Quebec),[33]Jacques Baril, Yves Beaumier, Pierre Bélanger, Manon Blanchet, André Boulerice, Guy Chevrette, Yves Duhaime, Linda Goupil, Jean-Pierre Jolivet, Guy Julien, Marcel Landry, Scott McKay, Matthias Rioux, Étienne-Alexis Boucher, Diane Barbeau, René Blouin, Serge Cardin, Jean-Paul Champagne, Noëlla Champagne, Solange Charest, Jacques Côté, Daniel Doyer, Luc Ferland, Serge Geoffrion, Daniel Goyer, Jean-Marc Lacoste, Richard Le Hir, Léopold Marquis, Michel Morin, Claude Pinard, Jérôme Proulx, Luc Trudel, Daniel Turp[34]
Other prominent supporters: Yves Michaud (former Liberal MNA 1966-1970),[34] Yves Rocheleau (former MP), Ève-Mary Thaï Thi Lac (former MP),[20] Pierre Paquette (former MP)
Policies: Has stated he's less interested in referendum dates and more on explaining the benefits of sovereignty. This has drawn criticism from other candidates, who claim he's too vague.[35]

Withdrawn candidates
Bernard Drainville, MNA for Marie-Victorin

Pierre Céré
Background

Spokesperson for the Conseil national des chômeurs, PQ activist and 2014 candidate in Laurier-Dorion.[36]

Date candidacy declared: October 21, 2014[36]
Date of withdrawal: May 10, 2015, endorsed Ouellet and Cloutier [10]
Supporters
Support from caucus members:
Support from former caucus members:
Other prominent supporters: Yves Lessard (former MP), Claude Guimond (former MP), Claude Patry (MP)
Policies: Calls for a PQ government to negotiate a new partnership with Ottawa. If the negotiation fails, the government will call a new referendum on independence. Céré's platform is social-democratic, defending the welfare state and proposing a series of measures to reconnect the party with the people.

Bernard Drainville
Background

MNA for Marie-Victorin (2007–present), Minister responsible for Democratic Institutions and Active Citizenship (2012–2014) and the main architect and defender of the Quebec Charter of Values.[37] former Radio-Canada journalist.[38]

Date candidacy declared: October 20, 2014[39]
Date of withdrawal: April 22, 2015, endorsed Péladeau[9]
Supporters
Support from caucus members: (7) Alain Therrien, Guy Leclair, Sylvain Roy, Mathieu Traversy,[40][41] Carole Poirier,[42] Sylvain Gaudreault,[43] André Villeneuve[44]
Support from former caucus members: (1) Gilles Chapadeau[45]
Other prominent supporters:
Policies: Has said he would not hold a sovereignty referendum in his first term as premier.[28]

Jean-François Lisée
Background
Jean-François Lisée, MNA for Rosemont

MNA for Rosemont (2012–present), Minister of International Relations, La Francophonie and External Trade (2012–2014), former journalist and professor.[46]

Date candidacy declared: October 31, 2014[46]
Date of withdrawal: January 23, 2015[47]
Supporters
Support from caucus members:
Support from former caucus members:
Other prominent supporters: Evelyne Abitbol (2014 candidate in Acadie)[48]
Policies: In the wake of the PQ's election defeat he has been critical of the party's proposed Quebec Charter of Values.[37] Has said he wants to reboot the PQ as inclusive and less focused on division, and open to anglophone and minority voters.[49]

Declined to run

Slogans
  • Pierre Céré: Un Québec Juste, Un Québec Libre
  • Alexandre Cloutier: Maintenant. Autrement.
  • Bernard Drainville: Votre Voix
  • Martine Ouellet: Oui, c'est vrai
  • Pierre-Karl Péladeau: Réussir

Results

Source:[57]

Opinion polling

All Quebecers
Poll source Date 1st 2nd 3rd Other
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 1002		 April 9, 2015 Pierre Karl Péladeau
26%		 Alexandre Cloutier
20%		 Bernard Drainville
8%		 Martine Ouellet 4%, Pierre Céré 1%, None 20%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 22%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 1036		 February 5, 2015 Pierre Karl Péladeau
34%		 Bernard Drainville
9%		 Alexandre Cloutier
8%		 Martine Ouellet 7%, Pierre Céré 1%, None 23%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 19%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 989		 December 11, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
36%		 Alexandre Cloutier
8%		 Bernard Drainville
6%		 Jean-François Lisée 4%, Martine Ouellet 4%, Pierre Céré 0%, None 20%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 28%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 981		 November 13, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
31%		 Alexandre Cloutier
8%		 Jean-François Lisée
7%		 Bernard Drainville 6%, Martine Ouellet 2%, Pierre Céré 0%, None 18%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 28%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 1,000		 September 25, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
27%		 Jean-Martin Aussant
7%		 Bernard Drainville
4%		 Alexandre Cloutier 3%, Jean-François Lisée 3%, Martine Ouellet 3%, Nicolas Marceau 2%, Pascal Bérubé 1%, Other 2%, None 17%, Don't know 29%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 1,009		 June 5, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
19%		 Véronique Hivon
9%		 Bernard Drainville
7%		 Jean-François Lisée 6%, Sylvain Gaudreault 4%, Pascal Bérubé 1%, Alexandre Cloutier 1%, Martine Ouellet 1%, None 24%, Don't know 26%, Prefer not to respond 2%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 1,050		 May 8, 2014 Gilles Duceppe
21%		 Pierre Karl Péladeau
13%		 Véronique Hivon
7%		 Bernard Drainville 4%, Sylvain Gaudreault 4%, Jean-François Lisée 4%, Alexandre Cloutier 2%, Réjean Hébert 2%, Other 2%, None 17%, Don't know 22%, Prefer not to respond 3%

Parti Québécois supporters only
Poll source Date 1st 2nd 3rd Other
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 216		 April 9, 2015 Pierre Karl Péladeau
59%		 Alexandre Cloutier
13%		 Bernard Drainville
9%		 Martine Ouellet 4%, Pierre Céré 1%, None 1%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 13%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 218		 February 5, 2015 Pierre Karl Péladeau
63%		 Martine Ouellet
10%		 Alexandre Cloutier
9%		 Bernard Drainville 7%, Pierre Céré 1%, None 2%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 7%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 203		 December 11, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
68%		 Alexandre Cloutier
11%		 Bernard Drainville
9%		 Martine Ouellet 3%, Jean-François Lisée 2%, Pierre Céré 1%, None 1%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 6%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 193		 November 13, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
59%		 Alexandre Cloutier
12%		 Bernard Drainville
8%		 Jean-François Lisée 4%, Martine Ouellet 1% Pierre Céré 0%, None 4%, Don't know/Prefer not to respond 13%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 184		 September 25, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
53%		 Jean-Martin Aussant
7%		 Bernard Drainville
7%		 Alexandre Cloutier 5%, Martine Ouellet 5%, Jean-François Lisée 2%, Nicolas Marceau 1%, Pascal Bérubé 0%, Other 4%, None 2%, Don't know 14%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 166		 June 5, 2014 Pierre Karl Péladeau
40%		 Véronique Hivon
12%		 Jean-François Lisée
9%		 Bernard Drainville 8%, Sylvain Gaudreault 7%, Alexandre Cloutier 2%, Pascal Bérubé 0%, Martine Ouellet 0%, None 4%, Don't know 18%, Prefer not to respond 0%
Léger Marketing
Sample size: 154		 May 8, 2014 Gilles Duceppe
26%		 Pierre Karl Péladeau
21%		 Sylvain Gaudreault
10%		 Bernard Drainville 9%, Jean-François Lisée 9%, Véronique Hivon 6%, Réjean Hébert 2%, Alexandre Cloutier 0%, Other 2%, None 2%, Don't know 14%, Prefer not to respond 1%
gollark: Well, yes, but apart from that.
gollark: osmarkslisp™ was written prior to the contest, you know.
gollark: It obviously can. Click it.
gollark: They ought to at least have allowed Macron.
gollark: I have used z3 before, you know.

References
  1. "Pierre Karl Péladeau working to soften his image ahead of potential PQ leadership". Montreal Gazette. September 26, 2014.
  2. http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/parti-qu%C3%A9b%C3%A9cois-will-have-new-leader-in-may-2015-1.2788359
  3. https://montrealgazette.com/news/sets+rules+leadership+race+hopefuls+attack/10262921/story.html
  4. "PQ elects Stephane Bedard to interim leader post". CTV News. April 10, 2014. Retrieved April 10, 2014.
  5. "Gilles Duceppe will not run for PQ leadership". CTV News. May 13, 2014. Retrieved May 14, 2014.
  6. "Marois bids a tearful goodbye to Quebec politics". Montreal Gazette. April 16, 2014. Retrieved April 17, 2014.
  7. "'I'm retired': Former PQ leader Pauline Marois steps into shadow". CTV News. June 7, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  8. "'Je ne regrette rien,' Marois tells PQ at farewell party Will not interfere from sidelines, unlike some of her predecessors, ex-premier says". Montreal Gazette. June 8, 2014. Retrieved June 9, 2014.
  9. "Bernard Drainville drops out of PQ leadership race to support Péladeau". Toronto Star. April 22, 2015. Retrieved April 22, 2015.
  10. "Parti Québécois leadership race narrows as Pierre Céré quits". CBC News. May 10, 2015. Retrieved May 11, 2015.
  11. "5 things you need to know about the Parti Québécois leadership vote". CBC News. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.
  12. "Alexandre Cloutier running to become PQ leader". CBC News. October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  13. "Gaétan Lelièvre appuie Alexandre Cloutier". Journal de Québec. November 16, 2014. Retrieved November 26, 2014.
  14. https://montrealgazette.com/news/quebec/alexandre-cloutier-picks-up-key-pq-leadership-supporter-veronique-hivon
  15. "PQ: François Gendron appuie Alexandre Cloutier". La Presse. February 17, 2015. Retrieved February 17, 2015.
  16. http://politwitter.ca/detail/link/712819
  17. http://politwitter.ca/detail/link/724992
  18. https://twitter.com/alexcloutier/status/532609799754903552
  19. http://ici.radio-canada.ca/nouvelles/politique/2015/02/26/001-course-direction-parti-quebecois-leo-bureau-blouin-appui-alexandre-cloutier.shtml
  20. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-CexWV9FkqPs/VTkawxUftBI/AAAAAAAAV9A/NalBrLcCc8I/s1600/PQ%2BEndorsements.png
  21. http://ici.radio-canada.ca/regions/saguenay-lac/2015/05/11/002-claude-patry-appuie-alexandre-cloutier.shtml
  22. "Alexandre Cloutier lance sa campagne à la direction du PQ". Radio Canada. November 9, 2014. Retrieved November 9, 2014.
  23. "Former PQ minister Nicolas Marceau considers run for Parti Québécois leadership". Montreal Gazette. September 15, 2014. Retrieved September 28, 2014.
  24. "Vachon MNA Martine Ouellet first out of gate for Parti Québécois leadership". CBC News. October 15, 2014. Retrieved October 15, 2014.
  25. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-18. Retrieved 2015-02-17.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  26. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-02-03. Retrieved 2015-01-30.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  27. "Martine Ouellet joins battle for Parti Québécois leadership". Montreal Gazette. February 1, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2015.
  28. "Bernard Drainville will seek PQ leadership". Montreal Gazette. October 20, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2014.
  29. "Martine Ouellet joins battle for Parti Québécois leadership". Montreal Gazette. February 1, 2015. Retrieved February 1, 2015.
  30. http://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/politique/politique-quebecoise/201411/27/01-4823065-peladeau-confirme-sa-candidature-a-la-direction-du-pq.php
  31. "Deux nouveaux appuis pour Pierre Karl Péladeau". Le Journal de Québec. October 14, 2014. Retrieved October 14, 2014.
  32. "Nicolas Marceau appuie Pierre Karl Péladeau dans la course à la direction du PQ". Radio Canada. February 18, 2015. Retrieved February 18, 2015.
  33. "Un appui officiel de Landry envers Pierre Karl Péladeau". La Presse. November 30, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2014.
  34. "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-04-21. Retrieved 2015-04-23.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  35. "Parti Québécois veers into old debate on how to achieve sovereignty". Montreal Gazette. February 9, 2015. Retrieved February 9, 2015.
  36. "Chefferie du PQ: Pierre Céré se lance dans la course". canoe.ca. October 21, 2014. Retrieved October 21, 2014.
  37. "Parti Québécois' soul-searching in wake of electoral disaster". Toronto Star. April 19, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2014.
  38. "Marois to step down in wake of stunning defeat". Globe and Mail. April 8, 2014. Retrieved April 8, 2014.
  39. http://www.ctvnews.ca/canada/bernard-drainville-throws-hat-into-ring-to-run-for-parti-quebecois-leadership-1.2063090
  40. Lajoie, Genevieve (October 23, 2014). "Leclair et Therrien appuient Drainville". Le Journal de Québec. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  41. Authier, Philip (October 27, 2014). "Bernard Drainville launches PQ leadership bid". The Montreal Gazette. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  42. "Pourquoi je choisis Bernard Drainville?". Huffington Post. January 28, 2015. Retrieved January 28, 2015.
  43. "Sylvain Gaudreault backs Drainville for PQ leader". Montreal Gazette. March 18, 2015. Retrieved March 18, 2015.
  44. "Direction du PQ : André Villeneuve appuie Drainville le " rassembleur "". Radio Canada. March 23, 2015. Retrieved March 23, 2015.
  45. https://twitter.com/abitibichaps/status/526380724136706048
  46. "Jean-François Lisée se lance dans la course à la direction du PQ". Radio Canada. October 31, 2014. Retrieved October 31, 2014.
  47. "Parti Québécois leadership candidate Lisée drops bid against Péladeau". Globe and Mail. January 24, 2015. Retrieved January 23, 2015.
  48. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UrmtpQ9Y_00
  49. "Jean-Francois Lisée seeks Parti Quebecois leadership". CTV. November 3, 2014. Retrieved November 3, 2014.
  50. "Jean-Martin Aussant renonce à briguer la chefferie du PQ". Canoe. October 6, 2014. Retrieved October 6, 2014.
  51. "Potential candidates to replace Marois at PQ helm include Peladeau, Drainville". Canadian Press. April 9, 2014. Retrieved April 9, 2014.
  52. "No PQ leadership bid for Duceppe". Montreal Gazette. May 13, 2014. Retrieved June 10, 2014.
  53. "No sovereignty referendum in my first mandate as premier: Drainville". Montreal Gazette. September 3, 2014. Retrieved September 6, 2014.
  54. "Véronique Hivon ne sera pas candidate à la direction du PQ". Radio Canada. September 20, 2014. Retrieved September 20, 2014.
  55. "Chefferie du PQ: Nicolas Marceau ne sera pas candidate". canoe.ca. Quebecor. Agence QMI. Retrieved 11 November 2014.
  56. "PQ: deux fois moins de membres pour élire un chef". Le Soleil. 12 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  57. "Péladeau easily wins PQ leadership race on first ballot". The Gazette. May 15, 2015. Retrieved May 15, 2015.

See also
This article is issued from Wikipedia. The text is licensed under Creative Commons - Attribution - Sharealike. Additional terms may apply for the media files.