Pierre Karl Péladeau will run for Parti Québécois leadership
PKP to launch his official leadership campaign on Sunday in his riding of St-Jérôme
Pierre Karl Péladeau, the member of the National Assembly for St-Jérôme, Que., announced this afternoon he will run for the Parti Québécois leadership.
He made the announcement while delivering a speech to students at the University of Montreal.
Péladeau's run for the PQ leadership has been the subject of much speculation since the nomination period began Oct. 14.
- Pierre Karl Péladeau to run for PQ leadership, sources say
- Jean-François Lisée announces bid for Parti Québécois leadership
- Bernard Drainville announces bid for Parti Québécois leadership
The five other candidates are sitting MNAs Alexandre Cloutier, Bernard Drainville, Jean-François Lisée and Martine Ouellet, and labour rights activist Pierre Céré.
Péladeau said he would not grant interviews until the official launch of his leadership campaign, on Sunday at 4 p.m. in his riding of St-Jérôme.
Anglos welcome to sovereignty movement
He did, however, briefly speak to reporters following his announcement at the university.
He made a jab at the Liberals and its austerity budget, and said he would be a leader who would unite Quebecers.
When asked by CBC’s Justin Hayward about a recent tweet in which he said he would welcome anglophones to the sovereignty movement, Péladeau said times have changed since 1980 and 1995.
“Today we are in 2014 and I think that everyone would consider that having a [richer Quebec] would be a good thing for all the citizens who live in Quebec. So it’s not a matter of, you’re an anglophone or you’re a francophone, or you are from another community,” Péladeau said.
Péladeau has been a PQ MNA since spring 2014. He is also the majority shareholder of media company Québecor.