Jean Charest set to run for Conservative Party leadership

True North is reporting that "Former Quebec Liberal premier Jean Charest is set to launch his leadership campaign for the Conservative Party of Canada (CPC) on March 10 in Calgary. Charest had received support from CPC MPs from Quebec, Nova Scotia and Ontario, who called on him to run for the party’s leadership in a letter published on Feb 22."

“Mr. Charest, Canada needs you. The leadership race for the Conservative Party of Canada boils down to one fundamental question: who is best positioned to unseat the federal Liberals and finally provide our country with a Prime Minister who will revive our economy and govern with confidence under the Conservative banner?” the letter read.

"The letter was signed by CPC MPs from Quebec Alain Rayes and Dominique Vien, MP from Ontario John Nater, MP from Nova Scotia Rick Perkins and Senator Percy Mockler from New Brunswick. National Post columnist Tasha Kheiriddin has also announced that she will not be pursuing the leadership, but will instead be supporting Charest."

Pierre Poilievre is solid. He's a scrapper. Is that really what we want for a leader? Leslyn Lewis is magnificent. She is what we want in a leader but she needs to work on her French. Andrew Scheer made real gains for the party across Canada but he wasn't able to penetrate Quebec. When you look at the population of Quebec, no one will ever become Prime Minster without them.

Charest studied law and worked as a lawyer before he became a member of Parliament (MP) following the 1984 federal election. In 1986 he joined Brian Mulroney's government as a minister of state. He was deputy Prime minister under Kim Campbell and was the Progressive Conservative Party leader from 1993 - 1998. Jean Charest was the Quebec premier from 2003 until 2012. He has a lot of experience. Stephen Harper is a rat bag. It's time to move forward.