CAQ leadership: Fréchette will launch her campaign Sunday, Jolin-Barrette bows out

The race for the CAQ leadership is taking shape: Economy Minister Christine Fréchette will officially launch her campaign on Sunday; her colleague at Justice, Simon Jolin-Barrette, will sit this one out.

“For family and professional reasons, this is not the right time for me,” the father of two young children said in a statement distributed to journalists Friday afternoon. 

Jolin-Barrette, who enjoyed considerable support, was identified with the nationalist wing of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). He promised to continue working “tirelessly,” particularly to provide Quebec with its own constitution.

For her part, Fréchette will announce this Sunday in Trois-Rivières that she is entering the race to succeed François Legault. 

She already has several supporters within the CAQ caucus, including ministers Gilles Bélanger, Benoit Charette, Mathieu Lacombe, Kateri Champagne Jourdain and Ian Lafrenière.

The rules of the race were unveiled on Thursday. Fréchette will have to temporarily step down from her ministerial duties to be a candidate. 

To qualify, candidates will need to obtain the signature of 1000 members of the CAQ from at least 75 ridings, including 15 members of parliament and 100 members of the party’s youth wing.

They will also have to make a non-refundable lump-sum contribution of $30,000. Election expenses are capped at $150,000.

Ministers Bernard Drainville (Environment) and Jean-François Simard (Natural Resources) are currently considering their options.

For his part, Granby MNA and former Minister of Transport, François Bonnardel, announced Friday that he will not be a candidate to succeed Legault.

“After reflection, and because high-quality candidates are emerging, I will not be a candidate in this leadership race for our party. I will take a position for one of them when we officially know who will be in the race,” he said.

“In a world in upheaval, it is more than essential to reaffirm our founding values ​​which make our party the best option for its future. I reaffirm the importance of a third way that is uninhibited, autonomous, proud, rigorous and above all close to the reality of Quebecers,” he added.

Interested individuals have until Feb. 21 to submit their applications. The new leader of the CAQ, and therefore the next premier, will be chosen on April 12.

Former PQ member Fréchette was first elected in 2022 under the CAQ banner.

She initially held the position of Minister of Immigration. After Pierre Fitzgibbon’s departure, she took over the portfolios of the former Minister of the Economy.

In particular, she spearheaded the major energy reform adopted under gag orders last June.

–This report by La Presse Canadienne was translated by CityNews