Quebec Liberals Can Rise Again with Milliard's Leadership
After years of divisive politics that have left the population exhausted, there's a growing desire for a return to practical governance and normalcy in Quebec. According to former Quebec Liberal MNA Clifford Lincoln, this presents a significant opportunity for the Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) to stage a resurgence under the leadership of Charles Milliard.
A Party of Remarkable Durability
This July marks the 159th anniversary of the Quebec Liberal Party, an extraordinary achievement considering the turbulent nature of Quebec's political landscape. The party has survived countless ideological shifts and emotional upheavals that have defined Quebec politics for generations.
Lincoln, who has followed Quebec politics since the Quiet Revolution under Jean Lesage and represented the QLP during the historic years following the first referendum, identifies two key reasons for the party's remarkable longevity.
The Coalition of Common Purpose
The first factor is the QLP's nature as a broad coalition where identity and ideology are secondary to a collective pursuit of the common good. The party serves as a gathering place for liberals, conservatives, independents, nationalists, and federalists who choose to work together regardless of whether they identify primarily as Quebecers or Canadians.
Lincoln recalls that after his initial election following the first referendum, the 42 Liberal opposition members to René Lévesque's Parti Québécois were predominantly federalist in belief and attachment. However, when Robert Bourassa returned to lead the party to victory in 1985, the additional 57 elected Liberals came from a younger generation that was predominantly nationalist.
"Yet it never prevented us from working closely together as colleagues and friends," Lincoln notes, highlighting the party's unique ability to bridge ideological divides.
The Party of Respite and Recuperation
The second reason for the QLP's durability is what Lincoln describes as its role as "the party of intermission and recuperation" during Quebec's intense political conflicts where ideology and identity typically dominate.
The emotional battles over language, culture, autonomy, and independence have proven divisive and exhausting throughout Quebec's history, particularly during referendum eras and the current identity conflicts waged by the Coalition Avenir Québec.
Lincoln observes that these emotional extremes not only disrupt everyday life but also destabilize the economic progress essential for maintaining quality public services. After periods of such turmoil, Quebecers naturally seek a break and a return to practical governance—a need traditionally fulfilled by the Quebec Liberal Party.
Landmark Achievements During Periods of Stability
It is precisely during these years of political respite that the QLP has delivered its most significant accomplishments. Lincoln points to an impressive list of Liberal achievements:
- Major reforms in education and healthcare systems
- Establishment of the Quebec Pension Plan
- Advancement of women's rights, including the right to vote
- Appointment of Canada's first female provincial cabinet minister (Claire Kirkland-Casgrain)
- Creation of Hydro-Québec and the Caisse de Dépôt
- Development of the Montreal métro and REM transit systems
- The landmark Quebec Charter of Human Rights and Freedoms
Lincoln particularly recalls Kirkland-Casgrain telling him that as justice minister, she enabled married women to sign their own cheques for the first time—a seemingly small but symbolically important advancement.
Milliard's Potential for Leadership
Lincoln emphasizes that there is no contradiction in a leader who embodies both nationalist and federalist sentiments. All successful Liberal leaders in recent memory have reflected what he calls "this deeply felt ambiguity of the Quebec soul."
After meeting Charles Milliard last year, Lincoln sensed a future leader in the mould of successful predecessors like Robert Bourassa, Daniel Johnson Jr., Jean Charest, and Philippe Couillard. Milliard represents the potential to usher in a much-needed era of peaceful governance, social justice, and economic renewal.
The Quebec Liberal Party stands at a critical juncture, with an exhausted population seeking stability after years of divisive politics. According to Lincoln's analysis, Charles Milliard possesses the qualities necessary to lead the party's resurgence and return Quebec to practical governance focused on common goals rather than ideological battles.
