In an interview with Radio-Canada, the head of PLQ claimed that things had gone too far on the matter.
Following last week’s shadow cabinet unveiling, the MNA for Vaudreuil was expelled from the PLQ group due to a conflict over the allocation of files and responsibilities among the 21 Liberal MNAs elected on October 3rd.
Without giving details of the meeting she had with Marie-Claude Nichols on Monday morning, the Liberal leader asked for cooperation.
When we make portfolio decisions, we ask everyone to do their bit, and I think things have gone a bit too far. So the channels are open, Ms Anglade assured.
“I want Marie-Claude to return to the caucus. I think that’s what the caucus members want too […] There are many files that are interesting. We want her to come back. »
— A quote from Dominique Anglade, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
hand outstretched
Returning to the reasons for Ms Nichols’ exclusion, Dominique Anglade explained that she had tried to find out, taking into account her preferences, which file could best be entrusted to the MP from Vaudreuil, but in the end we did not get along, the cook admitted.
It was way too far […] Now we have to find a way for the rest, the politician continued.
“We send a message, an outstretched hand. I’ve been reaching out to Marie-Claude since Friday…”
— A quote from Dominique Anglade, leader of the Quebec Liberal Party
Marie Claude Nichols
Photo: The Canadian Press / Jacques Boissinot
The MNA for Vaudreuil, Marie-Claude Nichols, was expelled from the group on October 27 after turning down offered responsibilities within the party, which plays the role of official opposition in the National Assembly.
According to Radio-Canada, the MP for Vaudreuil was interested in the third vice presidency of the National Assembly. However, front-runner Dominique Anglade would have preferred deputy Frantz Benjamin’s candidacy for this position.
Ahead of the unveiling of the shadow cabinet, on October 12 the Liberal leader made the appointment of parliamentary officials to help her direct the work of the official opposition in the National Assembly. His closest guard consists of Marc Tanguay, Monsef Derraji, Filomena Rotiroti and Enrico Ciccone.
Marie-Claude Nichols, who had not yet announced her decision at the time of writing, has sat under the PLQ banner since 2014.
A shattered party
Nothing is going well for the Quebec Liberal Party since the party’s historic defeat in the last Quebec election.
After a turbulent week marked by the expulsion of Marie-Claude Nichols from the group, the party’s chief organizer Jean-François Helms, who was particularly at the heart of the strategy of the last election campaign, announced his resignation in a letter on Saturday to Dominique Anglade and the new party leader Rafael Primeau-Ferraro.
The PLQ also lost its communications director, Jérémy Ghio, who announced his resignation just days after the elections.
On October 12, La Presse canadienne revealed that a dozen longtime QLP campaigners, including several former MPs, defeated candidates and a federation president, thought Dominique Anglade was no longer the right person to lead the PLQ and accused her of almost has killed the party.
In addition, former Liberal Finance Minister Carlos Leitao, who led the party’s campaign in the last provincial elections and was set to chair the PLQ, chose to abandon ship and not run.
On October 3, the PLQ had its worst election result in its history, electing 21 MPs and receiving only 14% of the vote. The party managed to elect 10 fewer MPs and collect 10 fewer points than in 2018, when the party recorded its worst ever performance.
These results placed them fourth among the top five parties in terms of popular support, behind the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), the Parti Québécois (PQ) and Québec solidaire (QS).
During the election campaign, the leader of the Liberals had presented herself as the candidate of the rally capable of uniting Quebecers and regrouping the Liberal forces, contrary to the “split” practiced by CAQ leader François Legault.
Outside the political party, the Liberal leader has also drawn the ire of other opposition parties by refusing to back an agreement between the parties represented in the National Assembly that would allow for the recognition of Québec solidaire and the Parti Québécois as parliamentary groups target.