Éric Duhaime will receive his first vote of confidence as leader of the Conservative Party of Quebec on Sunday during his political party’s convention. Even as former candidates maintain their support for the leader, members of this political party are trying to temper approval rating expectations.
Former Beauce-Sud candidate Jonathan Poulin confirms there is internal criticism of Mr Duhaime’s leadership. “I sense that there is dissatisfaction,” he told the Canadian Press during the convention held in Lévis, across from Quebec.
According to him, the leader runs the party too much alone. Nevertheless, Mr Poulin believes that Éric Duhaime is still the man for the job, at least for now.
Mr Duhaime still has my support, but I hope that he listens to the complaints that are made to him, because they are serious and if he does not listen to them, he will not be able to complain when members ask for it Say goodbye or don’t trust him, he explains.
The former candidate in Beauce-Nord, Olivier Dumais, is more optimistic. “I think the vote of confidence will be good, very good,” he assures.
But what is a good approval rating? Mr. Dumais hesitates before answering. That’s a great question […]. I think that over 70%, 80%… Over 80%, I think it will be very good, he finally blurted out.
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Éric Duhaime gave a speech at the opening of the Quebec Conservative Party conference on Saturday in Lévis.
Photo: The Canadian Press / Jacques Boissinot
In May, Coalition Avenir Québec leader François Legault achieved an approval rating of 98.6%. Two months earlier, Parti Québécois (PQ) leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon achieved a rate of 98.5%.
On Saturday, the Conservative leader declined to comment on what he would do if he received a very low score. “I will let the members vote,” he said.
At a press conference in Quebec on Friday, Éric Duhaime said he did not expect a stratospheric result like the prime minister’s. Instead, he thinks he’ll get a decent score.
A conservative source estimates the leader’s approval rating could be between 75% and 85%. In 2005, Bernard Landry slammed the door on the PQ after receiving 76% of the vote in a confidence vote.
Former Conservative MP Claire Samson estimates that Éric Duhaime could receive around 85% support. “I think the party is going in the right direction,” she emphasizes.