Quebec Liberal Party Choose New Leader

After much chaos within the party and conflict between former premier and leader Jean Charest, the Quebec Liberal Party, after much campaigning, have chosen former health minister Philippe Couillard as their new face.

Couillard giving his speech after the vote

This comes as an attempt to restore the name of a party that once resonated with Quebecers, particularly the Anglophone community. Although within the past ten years, due to the Charbonneau Commission and many other scandals, there will be much work to do.

Before becoming a politician, Couillard worked as a university professor and brain surgeon. He was appointed Health Minister in 2003. While in office, he increased funding in the health sector by $4.2 billion in the Quebec health budget, and also disallowed smoking in public areas.

He resigned as minister and MNA in 2008. In 2010, Couillard became a member of the Security Intelligence Review Committee. By 2012, he returned from his retirement in politics to announce his run for Liberal leader, going up against former Finance Minister Raymond Bachand, and Pierre Moreau, former Minister of Transportation.

Despite his new position, Philippe Couillard currently does not hold a set in the National Assembly. "I’m not going to rush to the assembly. I have work to do with the party," Couillard said.

Whether this will bring the party back to popularity is unclear, since there are many issues the whole of Quebec has to deal with.