Primary Country (Mandatory)

United States

Other Country (Optional)

Set News Language for United States

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language[s] (Optional)
No other language available

Set News Language for World

Primary Language (Mandatory)
English
Other Language(s) (Optional)

Set News Source for United States

Primary Source (Mandatory)
CNN
Other Source[s] (Optional)

Set News Source for World

Primary Source (Mandatory)
AajTak
Other Source(s) (Optional)
  • Countries
    • India
    • United States
    • Qatar
    • Germany
    • China
    • Canada
    • World
  • Categories
    • National
    • International
    • Business
    • Entertainment
    • Sports
    • Special
    • All Categories
  • Available Languages for United States
    • English
  • All Languages
    • English
    • Hindi
    • Arabic
    • German
    • Chinese
    • French
  • Sources
    • India
      • AajTak
      • NDTV India
      • The Hindu
      • India Today
      • Zee News
      • NDTV
      • BBC
      • The Wire
      • News18
      • News 24
      • The Quint
      • ABP News
      • Zee News
      • News 24
    • United States
      • CNN
      • Fox News
      • Al Jazeera
      • CBSN
      • NY Post
      • Voice of America
      • The New York Times
      • HuffPost
      • ABC News
      • Newsy
    • Qatar
      • Al Jazeera
      • Al Arab
      • The Peninsula
      • Gulf Times
      • Al Sharq
      • Qatar Tribune
      • Al Raya
      • Lusail
    • Germany
      • DW
      • ZDF
      • ProSieben
      • RTL
      • n-tv
      • Die Welt
      • Süddeutsche Zeitung
      • Frankfurter Rundschau
    • China
      • China Daily
      • BBC
      • The New York Times
      • Voice of America
      • Beijing Daily
      • The Epoch Times
      • Ta Kung Pao
      • Xinmin Evening News
    • Canada
      • CBC
      • Radio-Canada
      • CTV
      • TVA Nouvelles
      • Le Journal de Montréal
      • Global News
      • BNN Bloomberg
      • Métro
MoreBack to News Headlines
Quebec Liberals 'at a crossroads' as leadership race kicks off

Quebec Liberals 'at a crossroads' as leadership race kicks off

CBC
Sunday, January 12, 2025 3:09 PM GMT

As the federal Liberals prepare to choose Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's successor, another Liberal leadership race is getting underway in Quebec this week.

The stakes are high for the Quebec Liberals, who have been in the political wilderness for years, with dismal polling among francophone voters. Candidates and observers say the party needs to broaden its appeal beyond Montreal if it's to have any chance of forming government in the 2026 provincial election.

The campaign will unfold in the shadow of the race taking shape in Ottawa. And with Trudeau's former Quebec lieutenant, Pablo Rodriguez, the likely front-runner, the Quebec Liberals will have to set themselves apart from a federal party in turmoil.

"Let's face it," said political analyst Karim Boulos. "It's not a great time to be a Liberal."

The Quebec Liberal Party is the province's oldest political brand and the party that has spent the most time in power. But the Liberals suffered their worst defeat in decades in the 2018 election that swept François Legault and his conservative-leaning Coalition Avenir Québec into office.

Then in 2022, they fared even worse.

They currently hold just 19 of 125 seats in the provincial legislature, mostly in and around Montreal. The concentration of Liberal voters in the city allowed them to hang on to Official Opposition status.

"The Quebec Liberal Party is at a crossroads right now," said leadership candidate Charles Milliard, the former head of the federation of Quebec chambers of commerce. "I think the party needs a breath of fresh air and a generational renewal."

The race, which officially begins Monday, could stir up much-needed excitement for the party. Rodriguez, who held a number of cabinet portfolios in Ottawa, announced his bid for the leadership in September. Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre has also said he will run.

But attempts to attract another heavyweight, federal Innovation Minister François-Philippe Champagne, have so far not borne fruit, with Champagne considering a run for the federal leadership.

Milliard, 45, said the party needs to steer away from identity issues, including secularism and language, that have been a major feature of Legault's time in office. He plans to run a campaign on "bread-and-butter" matters like health care, education and public finances.

"The Quebec Liberal Party is the only political party in Quebec that can talk to all Quebecers," he said. "In recent years, the CAQ and the Parti Québécois (PQ) have demonstrated that they can be very divisive."

The Liberals have struggled to mount a compelling answer to the CAQ, which has positioned itself as the party of the economy, historically Liberal turf.

As Legault has said, his promise not to hold a referendum also means the Liberals no longer have a "monopoly of being against sovereignty."

Read full story on CBC
Share this story on:-
Run 3 Space | Play Space Running GamePlay Run 3, the ultimate space tunnel running game with 300+ challenging levels!Adv.
Traffic Jam 3D | Online Racing GameTraffic Jam 3D is a game where you’ll be driving through heavy traffic.Adv.
Duck Hunt | Play Old Classic GamePlay the classic 1984 light gun shooter game Duck Hunt on your browser.Adv.
More Related News
Can roundabouts help reduce crashes at rural intersections?

Twice in the past two weeks, the scenic country roads outside of London have been the scene of fatal vehicle collisions. 

No public trust without police oversight board, says First Voice

Public confidence in police accountability is down, especially among Indigenous people in Newfoundland and Labrador.

Scammers attempting to cash in on missing Sullivan kids case: SAR group

A Halifax search team warned Tuesday that "fraudulent individuals and organizations" are impersonating them and asking for money under the guise of trying to find Lilly and Jack Sullivan, the two Pictou County children who have been missing since May 2.

Man found guilty of manslaughter in Moncton casino manager's death

A Moncton jury found Michael Glaspy guilty Wednesday of manslaughter in the death of a casino manager who was fatally assaulted on the job two years ago.

Snow Lake put on evacuation alert as northwestern Manitoba wildfire threatens town

The rapid growth of a massive wildfire in northwestern Manitoba has put yet another threatened community on alert.

B.C. port foremen's union and employers ratify 4-year deal

Maritime employers in British Columbia and the union representing port foremen say they have ratified a new four-year collective agreement, after a dispute that saw workers locked out of container terminals last year.

Oilers beat Panthers 4-3 in OT in Game 1 of Stanley Cup rematch

The Edmonton Oilers won Game 1 of the Stanley Cup final against the Florida Panthers Wednesday after Leon Draisaitl netted his second of the night with 31 seconds remaining in overtime on a setup from Connor McDavid.

Health P.E.I., McMaster University partner to fast-track international medical graduates

Health P.E.I. is collaborating with McMaster University in Ontario to help fast-track foreign-trained physicians become licenced work on the Island.

AESO proposes short-term limit on power new large-load data centres amid Alberta's unprecedented demand

The Alberta Electric System Operator (AESO) is introducing temporary limit on how many new data centres can be added to the electrical grid, as the province experiences un unprecedented surge of project proposals.

Officials expect 'significant wildfire growth' at blaze on B.C.-Alta. border

Officials in British Columbia are warning of dangerous conditions for a raging wildfire on the B.C.-Alberta border in northeastern B.C., which has already resulted in evacuation orders.

Yukon gov't sets new goals for student happiness and well-being in 10-year plan

A new 10-year education strategy being introduced in Yukon schools next year will test students' happiness, confidence and connection to the land, though the metric for measuring those goals haven't been shared yet.

Marc Garneau, 1st Canadian astronaut in space, dead at age 76

Former astronaut and cabinet minister Marc Garneau has died. He was 76.

'So shocking': Murder trial begins for man accused of killing 2nd sex worker in 14 years

It's been a decade since Kathryn Furlan sat alone in the gallery of a Calgary courtroom but she returned Wednesday to bear witness, as the man who killed her daughter goes on trial a second time, once again accused of murdering a vulnerable woman he'd just met.

Parking Slot | Free Parking GamePlay Parking Slot, the best online 3D car driving and parking game.Adv.
Slope Ball Run - Play OnlineSlope Game takes you on an exciting journey of a ball on special paths.Adv.
Hamilton steelworkers hang onto jobs for now but brace for impact as U.S. doubles industry tariffs

It's not clear what increased U.S. steel tariffs will mean for Hamilton, but workers and industry leaders agree it's nothing good.

No tax on tips? Experts warn against bringing U.S. proposal to Canada

The idea of "no tax on tips" has found a way to appeal across party lines in the U.S. The policy is winding its ways through the halls of American government — but economists warn, it's not an idea worth pursuing here in Canada.

'There's a lot I wish I would have taken': Denare Beach residents in shock after wildfire

When Rebecca McCrimmon evacuated with her family from Denare Beach last week, it was out of concern that access to the northeast Saskatchewan community, not far from the Manitoba border, would be cut off by the Club fire burning to the north.

Thunder Bay Public Library appoints Indigenous relations advisor

The Thunder Bay Public Library has appointed Stephanie MacLaurin as its new senior advisor of Indigenous relations, a key leadership role aimed at advancing the library's commitment to reconciliation and the decolonization of public spaces.

Mystery leak that forced Scarborough family from home spreads as city continues to investigate

A mystery leak that's forced a Scarborough family from their home for the past month appears to be spreading. 

Small but 'life-changing' policy helps Parkinson's patients who need emergency care at Guelph's hospital

When people go to the emergency department, they're not allowed to take their own medications while they wait, which Theresa Daly says can be a huge problem for people with Parkinson's.

UPEI food bank prepares for surge in use with tuition hike set for upcoming academic year

The University of Prince Edward Island's food bank is bracing for what a fall tuition increase could mean for the students who use the service. 

Yukon launches its 1st-ever family medicine residency program

The Yukon is launching its first-ever medical residency program.

Trump's 'big, beautiful' tax reform bill could cost Canadians billions

A small, obscure section buried in U.S. President Donald Trump's One Big Beautiful Bill Act could cost Canadians and Canadian companies billions of dollars, CBC News has learned.

Albertans for Carney? They're as impressed with new PM as they are with Poilievre: poll

EDITOR'S NOTE: CBC News commissioned this public opinion research to be conducted immediately following the federal election and leading into the second anniversary of the United Conservative Party's provincial election win in May 2023. 

Demand for water bombers has 'skyrocketed' as Canada grapples with more intense wildfires

As Canada is again dealing with massive wildfires, the increasing severity of the natural disasters is having the knock-on effect of spiking the demand for water bomber planes — and it will be years before Canada gets its hands on a new one.

GTA mom questions how non-verbal child was able to board bus, GO train alone

Valerie Loewen panicked when she woke in early April to find her 9-year-old son William had left their Milton, Ont., house by himself.

© 2008 - 2025 Webjosh  |  News Archive  |  Privacy Policy  |  Contact Us