Raymond Bernier is leaving provincial politics

File Photo, Jean-François Desgagnés
“I will miss the people,” stressed Raymond Bernier, who participates every weekend in many activities through their comprehensive county. On the photo, in march 2014, the liberal candidate visited a seniors ‘ residence a few weeks before the elections.

Marc-André Gagnon

Sunday, 18 march, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 18 march, 2018 00:00

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After André Drolet in Jean-Lesage, at the turn of the veteran liberal member for Montmorency, Raymond Bernier, announced that it will not be a candidate in the next elections.

The politician, 65-year-old, will make the official announcement at a brunch activist, this morning, in the area of Beauport.

“I will miss the people,” said Mr. Bernier, who has announced his decision to the Journal de Québec, during an interview at his office of a member of parliament.

It intends to complete its mandate and to continue to chair the committee on public finance until the end of the session. In his county, he also wished, before leaving, to give the last kick-off to the final development project of the Parc de la Chute-Montmorency.

Last December, Mr. Bernier had been entrusted to our parliamentary Bureau, as his colleague in the neighboring county, André Drolet, he would use the Holiday period to reflect on his political future.

Mr. Bernier, who has taken a few weeks of thinking over, has finally decided to take his leave of the provincial political arena.

This does not mean that he closes the door to the policy. Rumour has it that he considered to be closer to her daughter, Alexandra, who works in the office of the prime minister Justin Trudeau, in Ottawa. “I want to take a step back,” is limited to say, Mr. Bernier, when questioned about it.

He said he was still “four to five years” to provide for a new challenge.

“I want to take the time to choose. There are all sorts of opportunities that may present themselves. […] I did 33 years in the quebec public service. Maybe I want to do a bit of private business, compared to some projects that I could be a carrier. “

Always be elected, never re-elected

Mr. Bernier has tried his luck in provincial politics for the first time in 1994, in The Peltrie. Defeated at that time, he was finally elected in 2003, in Montmorency. Defeated in 2007, he returned to his seat in 2008, before being defeated by the CAQ in 2012, and then make a return to the national Assembly, in 2014.

“I’ve never been re-elected, I have always been elected “, summarized Mr. Bernier, who ensures that his decision has nothing to do with the latest polls.

“For me, this is not a reason. […] I have no fear at that. […] Me, I do not know a member who stands for election with a poll “, he noted.

At any time, ” it may happen anything “, recalled Mr. Bernier, who remembers in particular the wave adéquiste of 2007.

He had then been defeated by 10 000 votes by his rival caquiste of the time, Hubert Benoit.

Raymond Bernier

• 65

• Has dedicated 33 years of his life in the public service in quebec (CSST, treasury Board, ministry of Transport, ministry of Revenue)

• Councillor and deputy mayor of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures in the years 80-90.

• Liberal candidate defeated in 1994, in La Peltrie

• Elected in 2003 in Montmorency

• Defeated in 2007 by the adéquiste Hubert Benoit

• Re-elected in 2008

• Defeated by the caquiste Michelyne C. Saint-Laurent in 2012

• Re-elected in 2014