Liberal MP Désirée McGraw of Quebec took up pen to invite her supporters to endorse Anna Gainey as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount at the federal level.
Ms McGraw also admits she has withdrawn her PLC membership card for the first time in eight years. In 2014, she was defeated after attempting to run for the PLC nomination in the new riding of Ville-Marie against a personal friend of Mr. Trudeau, Marc Miller.
In an email sent from her home address, the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce MP explains to her supporters why she will vote for the daughter of the Canadian’s former chief executive in the nomination to find a replacement for the former foreign minister Affairs Marc Garneau.
“If you want to have a say in who will represent our community in Ottawa, I encourage you and your family to do the same,” she wrote.
The two women have been friends for more than 20 years, explains Desirée McGraw in her email.
According to La Presse, Ms. Gainey is “very close” to Justin Trudeau. She and her spouse are said to have accompanied the prime minister and his family on the controversial trip to the Aga Khan’s private island early in his tenure.
Multiple PLC supporters
Of course, nothing prevents an elected provincial official from being a member of a federal party or supporting a candidate in Ottawa. But links with the PLC have recently embarrassed the PLQ.
In the last federal election, MP André Fortin recommended Liberal leader Justin Trudeau for the leaders’ debate. In particular, the member for Pontiac had given him his perspective on Quebec politics.
That revelation had put its then-leader in an awkward position while Dominique Anglade denounced attempts at federal interference in Quebec’s jurisdiction.
Prime Minister François Legault also took the opportunity to present the PLQ as a “branch” of Ottawa.
Other Liberals in Quebec also have affinities with Mr. Trudeau’s party.
MP Marwah Rizqy sought the PLC’s nomination, while Frédéric Beauchemin wore the colors in the 2019 election.
Madwa-Nika Cadet worked for Federal Minister François-Philippe Champagne while Brigitte Garceau was the French-speaking National Vice-President of the PLC from 2009 to 2012.
In collaboration with Raphaël Pirro