The Conservative Party, and before it the Canadian Alliance, tried many times in the past to convince ADQ leader Mario Dumont to run federally. Dumont has always declined. But I note, without any basis in fact or special insider knowledge, that he may be becoming more open to making the jump.
I was looking at Dumont's travel schedule this year. In March, he ventured to Calgary and Vancouver for a speech and a policy briefing on healthcare issues. In two weeks' time he's going to Halifax to speak at an Atlantic Institute for Market Studies luncheon.
For all I know, these may just be little trips to network with Canadian conservatives and to raise money for the ADQ. Or maybe he just enjoys travelling to other parts of the country. On the other hand, there is no reason or political benefit for a Quebec provincial leader to be making policy speeches in other provinces.
This is why I wonder if Dumont may be looking for a way out. With Quebec separatism and a third referendum likely to be the debate of the 2007/2008 Quebec election, Dumont could find himself and his party frozen out. If that happens it would leave the party even weaker than it is now (they currently have five MNAs). ADQers have privately told me that if they cannot displace one of the two old-line parties in the next election, they will consider packing it in.
So perhaps Dumont is trying to keep his future options open. Personally, I hope he is.
# posted by Adam Daifallah : 12:56 PM
