TORONTO – Jean Charest is running for the leadership of the Conservative Party, Patrick Brown ready to do so. It promises to be a very crowded race for the leadership of the Canadian right, very far from the hypothesis of de facto coronation imagined after the announcement of the candidacy of Pierre Poilievre and the lack, at least up to this point, of credible alternatives to the Carlton deputy. Now, if there are no last-minute waivers, the succession of Erin O’Toole promises to be a three-way race with uncertain outcomes. Leslyn Lewis, the possible outsider, today confirmed her candidacy. 

Charest, 63, will announce his candidacy on Thursday, during an event organized in Calgary. The choice of the location from which to launch your challenge in Poilievre is far from random. The former leader of Quebec, in fact, to win the race for the party secretariat will necessarily have to win consensus in the provinces of the West, in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, where there is creeping discontent not only towards the federal government led by Justin Trudeau, but also towards the conservative provincial administrations – see Prime Minister Jason Kenney – accused of immobility towards the needs and requirements of the Canadian West.

Charest, strong not only in Quebeb but also in Ontario and the Atlantic Provinces, will have to strengthen in the other part of Canada, where Poilievre has a clear advantage. Also eloquent is the official slogan chosen by the campaign of the former premier of the French-speaking province: “Built to Win”. It is clear that Charest wants to play the card of over thirty years of experience in politics, even if this could prove to be a double-edged sword.

Because Poilievre’s campaign, which has understood the air that pulls, has decided to attack Charest on his political past. In fact, we must not forget that he was prime minister of Quebec in the ranks of the Liberal Party: the change of shirt and the vice of changing parties too often will be, of course, the main messages of Poilievre during the leadership race.

And all this can also be seen from the harsh words of Senator Leo Housakos, co-president of the Poilievre campaign. “Charest is a conservative for convenience: he is a character from the past who has not remained active in the modern version of the Party.” It should be remembered that Charest briefly served in 1993 as leader of the Progressive Conservative, one of two sections of the right before reunification in the Conservative Party under Stephen Harper. “Charest – added the senator – just wants to take revenge on a lost opportunity”.

But the Poilievre-Charest race could be enriched by the presence of a third inconvenience. Patrick Brown is expected to announce his intentions this week and rumors give his descent into the field for certain. There are many cards that Brown could play. First, his political experience at all levels of government: he was a federal MP for Barrie, he was leader of the Progressive Conservative at the provincial level and is still mayor of the municipality of Brampton. Now, a new chapter in his political career could open.

Leslyn Lewis, MP for the district of Haldimand-Norfolk, also ran for office. Already in the race for the leadership of 2020, she was clearly beaten by Erin O’Toole and Peter McKay. This is the slogan: “Hope, Unity, Compassion”.