Bernard Drainville: Navigating a Political Crossroads
Watching Bernard Drainville aggressively challenge Christine Fréchette and consistently move closer to the positions of the Conservative Party of Quebec (PCQ) begs the question: what is the Lévis MNA’s political calculation? François Legault himself initiated a shift to the right in a desperate attempt to win back voters last fall. By advocating for a return to the values of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) – from reducing the size of the state to reforming union governance – the CAQ signaled it had sensed an electorate appetite for right-leaning themes.
Despite polls demonstrating support for these ideas championed by Legault, it didn’t translate into increased support for the CAQ. Logically, Bernard Drainville may have believed that simply changing leaders and intensifying the rightward turn would alter the party’s fate. However, recent opinion polls show no real impact for the CAQ if led by the former Minister of Education.
Embracing Conservative Ideologies
Despite this, Drainville continues to push forward, adopting ideas previously defended by Éric Duhaime. It’s as if he’s changed his destination. This week, he argued that the trees on René-Lévesque Boulevard in Quebec City should not be cut down for the tramway project until a 40% federal financial contribution to the project is confirmed. “I invite all CAQ members to join what Bernard Drainville said in recent hours,” Duhaime, a perennial opponent of the tramway, happily declared. His MNA, Maïté Blanchette Vézina, even shared a petition against cutting down the trees on the National Assembly website.
Furthermore, the Conservative leader identified the end of the divide between sovereigntists and federalists as François Legault’s legacy, openly stating his intention to build upon it. “This is something Mario Dumont started before him, and something I intend to continue after him.” This could certainly appeal to Drainville. Not to mention their shared rhetoric on the size of the state, reducing the number of ministers, ending lifetime tenure for civil servants, and increasing private sector involvement in healthcare, among other things.
A Strategic Game?
This week, Christine Fréchette’s camp wondered what her rival was up to. Drainville accused her of concealing information about the impact of her commitment to the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ) for foreign students and workers. He asserted that she “said the opposite of the truth” during the last debate between the two candidates and that her candidacy was therefore “weakened.” One wonders if this attack wasn’t aimed at weakening the next possible leader of the CAQ, beyond the current battle for succession to François Legault.
The voice of reason reminds us that Bernard Drainville has ambitions to become leader – something he attempted in the past with the Parti Québécois (PQ), and now with the CAQ. He’s unlikely to envision himself as a simple MNA under the leadership of Éric Duhaime. However, with the CAQ currently at only 9% support according to the latest Léger poll, he might be betting on a move to the PCQ to ensure his re-election in Lévis. After all, the two men formed a popular duo on the radio in the past.
A doubt remains…
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