Charest’s team won’t say if he’ll stay in Conservative party if he loses leadership

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Strategists warn the messages being put out by Charest’s camp are potentially confusing for the party membership.

Author of the article:

La Presse Canadienne

Michel Saba

Publishing date:

Jul 21, 2022  •  17 hours ago  •  2 minute read  •  7 Comments Jean Charest takes part in the Conservative Party of Canada English leadership debate on May 11, 2022. Photo by Greg Southam /Postmedia Article content

As rumours of the possible creation of a centre-right federal party spread, Conservative leadership candidate Jean Charest’s team is refusing to clarify whether the former Quebec premier will remain with the party should he lose his bid to lead it.

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“Mr. Charest is a longtime Conservative party member. He is entirely invested in the current leadership race, which he intends to win on Sept. 10,” said Charest press attaché Laurence Tôth in response to repeated questions by Presse Canadienne on whether the candidate will remain with the party in the event of a defeat. Charest also declined to be interviewed about his future within the conservative movement.

In her recently published book, political commentator and Charest campaign co-chair Tasha Kheiriddin cited the possibility of the creation of a “liberal-conservative” party if the plan to unite the Conservatives fails. However, in a recent interview with Radio-Canada she insisted she is not promoting such an idea.

Meanwhile, Conservative strategists interviewed by Presse Canadienne say the messages being put out by the Charest camp are potentially confusing for the party membership.

Marc-André Leclerc, who was an adviser to former Conservative leader Andrew Scheer, said he thinks Charest would do well to remain in the party, since “he’s already been criticized for not having been seen in the party over the past few years.”

Leclerc said the current lack of clarity could see some party members ask if Charest is “just passing through.” He also described Kheiriddin’s comments as “a bit bizarre,” given that the leadership vote has yet to be held. “You’re in the process of suggesting a new party will be formed while (the leadership race) is still going on.”

Rodolphe Husny, a former adviser in Stephen Harper’s government, said Kheiriddin should clarify whether she was expressing her own point of view as an author or speaking as Charest’s campaign co-chair. He said the presence of two contradictory narratives — ” ‘we think we have a chance to win’ (versus) ‘maybe there’s a Plan B with a coalition’ — creates confusion and sows doubt over the real chances of success.”

However, Husny believes it to be “quite normal” for Charest and the other candidates to state that victory is possible if only to motivate their supporters to get out and vote, an operation that will continue for another month.

Interestingly, soon after this Presse Canadienne report was first published online, Charest took to his Twitter account to apparently address the concerns expressed in it.