Beleaguered Liberals ‘need a vision’ and an ‘action plan,’ says Champagne

MONTREAL — Even as the party falters everywhere else in Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberals have been able to take solace in the party’s strongholds in Quebec, despite aggressive attacks from the Conservatives and the Bloc Québécois.

One more nail could be driven into the Liberal coffin on Monday, though, if the party falters in a Montreal byelection that would be an easy victory in better times. But, if the party’s most prominent face in Quebec is worried, he’s not showing it.

“We should never underestimate the Liberal Party of Canada,” retorts Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

As he speaks, a local stops to offer him a snack.

“Chips? I’ll have some! Thank you very much, sir,” Champagne said, grabbing a few chips from the bag.

“You see, people even offer me some chips. Seriously, you can’t make this stuff up,” he said. It was a sunny afternoon in Montreal last week, and Champagne had just arrived from the Quebec caucus retreat in the Eastern Townships. As usual, the dynamic minister was in campaign mode, greeting almost every pedestrian who looked his way.

For nearly an hour, Champagne, who is also co-chair of the Liberal election campaign in Quebec, tried to explain to the National Post how and why his party deserved to stay in power.

“People, for sure, want change. But how do you define change? That’s really the question,” he said.

But for the tenth time, Champagne interrupts his train of thought to greet another Montrealer.

“Good morning, ma’am!” he said aloud.

“Keep up the good work,” said the woman, who works in health care. “Thank you very much,” he replied with a smile after shaking her hand for what seemed like an eternity.

So what exactly is the answer? He talks about a “hopeful vision of Canada” under the Liberals. However, he believes his party needs to “present a vision” and “an action plan” to Canadians.

“We need to present how we’re going to achieve them and always put them at the forefront of our priorities,” he said.

So, do they have a vision? It’s not clear.

Champagne attacked Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, saying his videos and social media posts aren’t creating jobs or improving the lives of Canadians. Similarly, “criticizing mayors” won’t create housing faster, a nod to Poilievre’s many attacks on Montreal and Quebec City mayors Valérie Plante and Bruno Marchand.

“The more Quebecers will discover who Pierre Poilievre really is, the more afraid they will be,” he said.

As we walked down the street, dozens and dozens of people stopped to chat with the minister, who is also the member of Parliament for Saint-Maurice-Champlain in rural Quebec. “It’s always like that,” he said. “People just want to talk to me. We barely talk about politics.”

“FPC,” as he is known, is a magnet for passersby and the epitome of the art of retail politics. Today, it seems that if the Liberals are serious about staying in power, they could use a lesson or two from him. The party trails the Conservatives by about 20 points in every poll and are currently projected to get crushed in the next federal election.

And yet, Trudeau’s “Energizer Bunny” minister is loyal and positive. “Look, in my job, you better be,” he said with a laugh.

“I mean, we’ve been resilient for many years. We are very well organized on the ground and I think we have the most relevant actions to implement for Canadians,” says Champagne.

Maybe, but it doesn’t seem to be holding up, even in Quebec, where the Liberals are five points behind the Bloc Québécois. According to poll aggregator 338Canada, the Liberals and the Bloc are in a toss up in Lasalle-Émard-Verdun, where a byelection is scheduled for Monday.

The Liberals’ “Team Quebec” is hard at work, but does their magic still work?

A tie in a Liberal stronghold once held by former attorney general David Lametti and former prime minister Paul Martin isn’t good news for the party.

The same goes for Mount Royal, another red stronghold held by former attorney general Irwin Cotler and prime minister Pierre Elliott Trudeau. Today, it’s not considered a “safe seat,” but a “likely LPC seat.”

Liberal MP Anthony Housefather is still a beloved figure in the area. But the Conservatives are aggressively targeting his riding, holding numerous fundraisers and courting the Jewish community with the help of local politicians like Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi.

There is a sense in the community that the Liberals take their vote for granted. Champagne is aware of that.

“We need to reconnect with a number of people who, over time, may have been disenfranchised. What I say to them is, work with us. Help us understand how we can do better for you and always put their issues at the centre of what we do,” he said.

Lately, it seems that more and more Liberal MPs are worried about a Conservative landslide victory.

“I think they’re more eager than nervous,” Champagne says. He says his colleague wants to work side by side to present a “vision to Canadians, to engage with Canadians and to inspire the nation.”

But what happens if that’s not enough and the Liberals lose the next election? Will he stay or will he go?

“I don’t think that’s a premise I want to go, because my role is to win,” he said.

So how do you win an election if you’re 20 points behind?

“I think it’s about time that we start talking up about Canada and bringing a vision of hope and opportunities and possibilities,” Champagne said. “And if there’s one person who can embody that, it is the prime minister.”

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