General

Charest says he’s in Quebec to stay

Quebec premier dismisses talk of a return to federal politics

Jean Charest says he has no plans to return to federal politics. In fact, despite his recent struggles as Quebec premier, he’s thinking of running again for a fourth consecutive term. “I’ve done four elections in Quebec, including the one in ’98,” he said, referring to the election he lost to Lucien Bouchard. “In all four elections, I won a plurality of the votes. Four consecutive elections. I think five is a good number.” In his interview with the CBC, Charest went on to slam PQ leader Pauline Marois for attacking his government over allegations the Liberals have taken kickbacks for construction contracts and given party donors preferential treatment in judicial nominations. “It’s the kind of politics I think most citizens abhor,” Charest said.

CBC News

Looking for more?

Get the Best of Maclean's sent straight to your inbox. Sign up for news, commentary and analysis.
  • By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
FILED UNDER: