The victory of André Boisclair in the PQ leadership race announces the opening of another campaign, for a third referendum on Quebec sovereignty.

Boisclair was chosen by a telephone vote of the 140,000 PQ members, using the same technology used to select the winner of Star Académie, the Quebec equivalent of Canadian Idol. He won on the first ballot with 54 per cent of the vote, leaving his principal opponent, Pauline Marois who won only 31 per cent, with no choice but to shake hands and congratulate the new leader, the sixth in the history of the party founded by René Lévesque.

The leadership race itself had something of a “select your favorite entertainer” aspect rather than being a more serious “pick the best person to lead us through difficult times.” Boisclair spent much of the time looking as if he had been cast as the star in a soap opera, reading from a script that included public life as an openly gay man, struggling to explain how he had managed to conceal his use of cocaine, and why it was all an error of youth.

And, no doubt about it, Boisclair has star quality. He is a charismatic leader with academic credentials, ministerial experience, youth on his side, and the backing of the new and old PQ establishment.

The PQ took power in Quebec 29 years ago on November 15 (the same day, coincidence intended, Boisclair was elected the new leader). Then Premier Lévesque had put together a cabinet like no other in Canadian history. It included more PhD holders, more overseas educated, more experienced leaders from all walks of life than anyone had seen around a ministerial table before, or has seen since.

Out of this group came what became known as the party barons, the ones who shoe-horned René Lévesque out of the leadership, and created and undid the alliances that put Pierre Marc Johnson, Jacques Parizeau, and Lucien Bouchard, in, and then out, of the leader’s chair.

Bernard Landry is the last of the barons. He waited patiently until he could seize leadership himself, organizing things so that Pauline Marois was unable to mount a challenge to him.When Landry left he threw his considerable organization to Boisclair. While Jacques Parizeau was officially neutral, his wife came out for Boisclair. The new force in the PQ, businessman (Air Transat) François Legault backed Richard Legendre on the first ballot, but both were ready to go to Boisclair.

The PQ has a social wing and a conservative wing. Both are nationalist. The PQ leader always faces a twofold challenge: get the party to agree about how to bring the population over to support its nationalist strategy (referendum now, or later, etc.), and keep the two wings together on public policy issues.

Boisclair leans right and he faces a renewal of left forces outside the PQ around Françoise David that could lead some Marois supporters to leave and join them. Boisclair was the only PQ candidate to welcome the Lucien Bouchard statement on the need for lucidity in Quebec, which was countered by the David statement on the need for solidarity.

But the test for a PQ leader is on the national issue. If Boisclair does not move ahead and campaign openly for sovereignty he could face a revolt of party members. If he does, he could lose support among the voting public.

Expect this to be a dirty political season in Quebec with the Jean Charest Liberals ready to throw everything at their new rival. Boisclair will face continued questioning about cocaine use, and a campaign to undermine his leadership by federalist media.

Do not expect the sovereignty issue to go away. Eventually the federal parties will have to face the reality of the campaign for a third referendum launched November 15, 2005.

Duncan Cameron

Duncan Cameron

Born in Victoria B.C. in 1944, Duncan now lives in Vancouver. Following graduation from the University of Alberta he joined the Department of Finance (Ottawa) in 1966 and was financial advisor to the...