‘Sense of duty’: Pablo Rodriguez says he resigned as Quebec Liberal leader after becoming distraction

Pablo Rodriguez decided to step down as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) out of a “sense of duty” after he says he became a hindrance to the party and province.

“I have become, against my will, a distraction,” Rodriguez said at a press conference at the PLQ headquarters in Montreal, a day after announcing his resignation to his caucus during a virtual meeting Wednesday.

READ: Consumed by controversy, Quebec Liberal Leader Pablo Rodriguez resigns

“The Liberal party deserves to have its projects and its future plans discussed. The Liberal Party of Quebec deserves to have its own story told about it, not about me.

“This is a decision I am making solely out of a sense of duty to my country, to my party, which I sincerely love, to Quebec, and to Canada.”

From high-profile firings to allegations of cash-for-votes and donor reimbursement, Rodriguez has been consumed by controversy for several weeks.

The former Liberal leader, who has always maintained he was unaware of the allegations, reiterated he was stepping down with nothing to reproach himself for.

“I truly wanted to lead our team to victory in the next elections,” he said. “I sincerely believed it was possible, and I still do. But politics has this fascinating aspect: nothing is predetermined, and everything can change in a matter of days or weeks. And that can happen despite the best intentions, despite the authenticity of the commitment, despite the genuineness of the approach, despite the sincerity of what one does.

“So today, I stand tall before you, head held high, with absolutely no reason to lower my gaze. None whatsoever. I have always acted with authenticity, integrity, and ethically. Always.

“My integrity has never been questioned during my 20-year career in politics. And it’s not true that it’s going to start today. I have always acted in good faith, with transparency, and in accordance with the rules.”

Rodriguez is calling for unity as the party heads into a turbulent start to the year.

“We cannot afford to start an election year divided and even less so at a time when Canada’s future is at stake,” said Rodriguez whose time at the helm of PLQ lasted just over six months.

Voters in Montreal reacted to Rodriguez’s departure with cautious optimism.

One voter said, “I think it’s a good move for him, but we’ll see in the future.”

“Now, I think (PLQ has) a better chance to be ready,” said another.

Analysts like Eleni Bakopanos say whether or not voter opinion on Rodriguez will stick will depend on reports from Quebec’s anticorruption unit, which started a probe into him in November.

“Once they get that out of the way, I think that will open the door to be able to win back the credibility that they need,” Bakopanos said.

She also says Rodriguez’s exit opens the door for the party to reassess its direction — especially how it reconnects with voters outside Montreal.

“I think they’ll have to concentrate most of their effort in the regions to get very good local candidates to be able to get the vote,” she added.

Speaking to reporters Thursday, Rodriguez said, “It was the honour of a lifetime to have been chosen by the members as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party.”

In Rodriguez’s short span of just over six months at the helm, the period from mid-November to his resignation, might ultimately be the most memorable – for the wrong reasons.

What started with Marwah Rizqy dismissing her chief of staff without Rodriguez’s approval snowballed into Rizqy’s own dismissal from caucus and allegations into Rodriguez’s leadership campaign that triggered an investigation by Quebec’s anti-corruption police (UPAC).

The final blow came on Tuesday when the Journal de Montréal alleged that some 20 donors had their $500 contributions refunded at a fundraising event – what appears to be a violation under Quebec’s Election Act. It states all contributions “must be made voluntarily, without compensation and for no consideration, and may not be reimbursed in any way.”

There was also the earlier allegation that some party members who voted for Rodriguez in the June leadership race — which he won with 52 per cent of the vote — could have received $1,000 cash rewards. The PLQ has said the 14 people who received money — from a surplus — were the volunteers who put in the most hours.

It remains unclear which allegations UPAC is investigating and whether any of that is related to Rizqy relieving Geneviève Hinse of her duties. But in any case, the noise grew too loud and prominent Quebec Liberals have been openly calling for Rodriguez to step aside.

Though the details were sparse, Rodriguez says he fired Rizqy because she did not explain her reasons for dismissing Hinse and had lacked loyalty. Rizqy has not publicly explained her decision, saying it is a human resources matter. She reportedly met with UPAC prior to an official investigation being launched.

Rodriguez later removed a second Liberal member of the legislature from his caucus because of an investigation by Quebec’s ethics commissioner. The office of the ethics commissioner had said it would examine whether Sona Lakhoyan Olivier used resources from her constituency office for partisan purposes during the leadership race.

Montreal radio station 98.5 FM named Lakhoyan Olivier as one of the two people behind text messages related to the vote-for-cash allegations, but she has denied that claim and has sent a legal letter to station owner Cogeco.

Before his resignation, Rodriguez had said he welcomed the investigations, and had insisted he had nothing to hide. He had also asked a retired judge to investigate the claims.

The Liberal Party will now once again have to find a new leader, with the provincial election slated for October 2026.

The Liberal party told CityNews Thursday that it will be choosing an interim leader by later this week or the beginning of next week. 

It also said meetings will start in the next few days to determine the rules for the upcoming leadership race – as Quebec’s next general election is less than a year away

Former candidate Karl Blackburn has expressed interest in running for the leadership again, while opponent Charles Milliard has said he is still considering his options.

Despite some chatter about Rizqy herself taking a crack at the party leadership, the Saint-Laurent MNA broke her silence Wednesday — moments after Rodriguez stepped down — to put those suggestions to rest.

“In the preceding months, I had the opportunity to announce that I did not intend to run for re-election as a Member of the National Assembly, so that I could fully dedicate myself to raising my young children,” Rizqy wrote on Facebook.

“Today, some media outlets are mentioning my name as a potential candidate for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party. I wish to firmly reiterate that I had no such intention, that I do not have it now, and that I will not have it in the coming weeks and/or months.”

–With files from The Canadian Press