Outgoing ADQ Leader Gilles Taillon claims he was the victim of a plot organized by the party establishment and federal Quebec Tories that led to his political downfall only three weeks after winning the leadership.
Mr. Taillon announced on Tuesday that he will quit as leader of the Action Démocratique du Québec. In a letter entitled, The masks have fallen, he explained Wednesday that the plot to undermine his leadership was prompted by his desire to severe all ties with the federal Conservatives and put an end to what he called the “untouchable alliance.”
The alliance was driven by Conservative Senator Leo Housakos, one of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's top advisers and organizers in Quebec, and the ADQ's main fundraiser since 2003. Mr. Housakos served as the link between the ADQ and the federal Tories. Mr. Taillon said that by publicly attacking the head of the party's fundraising committee and the go-between with the Tories, he sparked a fierce backlash among influential ADQ members, including former leader Mario Dumont.
“I understand today that with the public remarks made by the old party “owners” led by Mario Dumont, that my election as leader of the ADQ meant the end of the untouchable alliance for these people. From that day on Gilles Taillon could not stay on as leader of the ADQ despite the democratic choice made by the members,” Mr. Taillon wrote in his letter. “The efforts to undermine [my leadership] started then and have never ended since. … I understood that only my departure would put an end to the orchestrated wrangling. I had to leave.”
The ADQ and the federal Tories have been linked at the hip ever since Mr. Harper took control of the Conservative Party and succeeded, with the ADQ's help, in winning ten seats in Quebec. Both parties share a common pro-business, right-wing ideology as well as a similar vision of Quebec's place within Canada.
For a while, the ADQ represented a springboard for the Conservatives in Quebec. But the demise of the party in last year's provincial election left the Tories without the grassroots support it needs in predominantly francophone Quebec ridings.
Earlier this week, the Tories did manage to win a by-election in a former Bloc Québécois stronghold that included Mr. Dumont's former provincial hometown riding of Rivière-du-Loup. It was a victory that gave a much needed boost to Conservatives in Quebec, but also a glimmer of hope to the hapless ADQ seeking to rebuild an alliance with the Tories in the province.
Mr. Taillon suggested that his plan to breakaway from the Tories was the reason why Mr. Dumont played a role in the plot to oust him. He said the putsch also included his main leadership rival, Éric Caire, as well as the man slated to become the next ADQ leader, Gérard Deltell.
Mr. Taillon was elected party leader on October 18 by the slimmest of margins, one vote over Mr. Caire. The loser of the vote and another caucus member, Marc Picard, quit the party last Friday, accusing Mr. Taillon of betraying the ADQ's right-of-centre ideology. Their sudden resignations triggered a frantic attempt by the remaining four ADQ caucus members to save the party from total collapse. The group's desperation eventually turned into a caucus mutiny against the new leader in which Mr. Deltell played a major role, according to a party source.
“I had nothing to do with undermining Mr. Taillon's leadership,” Mr. Deltell replied bluntly Wednesday.
When he announced his decision Tuesday to quit the leadership, Mr. Taillon said he had uncovered “troubling” elements regarding the party's fundraising practices and said he would call in the police to investigate. In his letter Wednesday, Mr. Taillon reiterated the need for a police investigation.
Mr. Taillon also explained in his letter how he invited Mr. Housakos to follow the party fundraising rules if he wanted to continue working for the ADQ. Shortly after announcing his candidacy, Mr. Taillon said he met with Mr. Housakos to explain his decision to break all ties with the Tories, emphasizing the importance of maintaining ADQ autonomy. According to Mr. Taillon, the message did not go over well with either the Conservatives or senior ADQ members.
With two former ADQ members now sitting as independent MNA's, the Speaker of the National Assembly cut back the Question Period time allotted to the party. The ADQ may also have its $600,000 annual National Assembly budget for staff and research slashed as a result of the resignations.
