Charles Milliard emerges as a strong contender in the Liberal leadership race
With the leadership contest for the Quebec Liberal Party heating up this summer, candidate Charles Milliard is positioning himself as the future leader of the party and the next Prime Minister of Quebec. The candidacy period is open until April 11, 2025, with the leadership vote scheduled for June 14, 2025.
A recent survey conducted by Léger for Milliard’s campaign, reported by the Journal de Montréal on March 21, shows his vote intention surging from 4 to 20 points. This narrowing of the gap with frontrunner Pablo Rodriguez, who stands at 30 points, underscores Milliard’s growing appeal especially among young voters, where he leads significantly on issues that resonate with the next generation.
According to Milliard, his platform is built on a robust economic vision. In a press release dated March 26, he harshly criticized the provincial budget presented by the CAQ government yesterday. He labeled the budget a “budget of waiting,” a model that, in his view, is exhausted and unsustainable. The current budget, he explained, lacks a credible plan for returning to fiscal balance and fails to offer a long-term vision for Quebec’s economic future. He stressed that the underlying economic assumptions are fragile, productivity is stagnant, and the government’s financial leeway has nearly vanished.
Milliard argued that instead of postponing tough decisions in hopes of a more favorable context or an upcoming election, Quebec needs immediate, transformative policies. His platform proposes concrete measures: reducing the fiscal burden on SMEs, stimulating innovation, diversifying markets, establishing a strong industrial policy, and cutting the provincial debt from the very first mandate. He insists that these initiatives are not merely slogans but critical levers for enhancing public services and securing a prosperous future for all Quebecers.
With four candidates currently in the race including Pablo Rodriguez, Marc Bélanger, and Mario Roy, the first debate is slated for April 27 in Gatineau. Leveraging his experience as the former president of the Quebec Chambers of Commerce, Milliard promises to bring a pragmatic, fact-based approach to the economic challenges facing Quebec. His vision is for a strong, productive province that not only invests in its regions and supports its youth but also redefines economic policy to foster long-term growth.
As the leadership race unfolds, all eyes remain on Charles Milliard and his ambitious plan to reshape Quebec’s economic landscape while addressing the urgent issues highlighted by his incisive critique of the current budget.
