The Conservatives have never managed to reproduce their feat of 1984 and win all of Eastern Quebec. Back to this blue period.
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Prime Minister Brian Mulroney in 1984. (Archive photo)
Pierre Chapdelaine de Montvalon (View profile)Pierre Chapdelaine de Montvalon
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Under the leadership of Brian Mulroney , the Conservative Party of Canada won from 1984 to 1993 in all the ridings of Eastern Quebec.
Almost 30 years have passed and yet memories of the Mulroney era remain vivid for those who lived through that period.
This is the case of Jean-Pierre Pigeon, a former financial agent for the Conservative Party of Canada and candidate for the party in the last three elections.
The professional financial advisor remembers being won over by the stature of the former prime minister.
When Mr. Mulroney spoke, people stood up. He was a motivator. And I followed in his footsteps. He showed me how to do politics, he says from his living room, where he follows the funeral of the former prime minister on television on Saturday noon.
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Jean-Pierre Pigeon, former Conservative candidate in the riding of Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine.
Under the leadership of Brian Mulroney, the party left an important legacy for the region, according to him.
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If only in Sainte-Anne-des-Monts at the marina, the Exploramer museum is the work of Mr. Mulroney. Whether it was the Quai de Tourelle, the Quai de Cap-Chat: it helped all the quays around the peninsula, he says.
Brian Mulroney's government has invested a lot of money for fishermen.
A quote from Jean-Pierre Pigeon, former financial agent for the Conservative Party of Canada
It was a time when all of Eastern Quebec was blue, recalls the former MP for Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup from 1984 to 1993, André Plourde.
There was Doctor Charles-Eugène Marin, MP for Gaspé, there was Darryl Gray, MP for Bonaventure—Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Jean-Luc Joncas, MP for Matapédia—Matane and then Monique Vézina in Rimouski, remembers the former elected official. I worked a lot with the four other MPs from eastern Quebec, we formed a team.
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The MP for Rimouski, Monique Vézina, accompanied by the Prime Minister of Canada, Brian Mulroney, during her first victory on September 5, 1984. (Archive photo)
With 58 out of 75 Quebec ridings won by Brian Mulroney in the 1984 election, the current MP for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup recognizes the feat then achieved by the former Prime Minister.
Today, Bernard Généreux is the only Conservative elected official in Eastern Quebec.
As the next federal election approaches , he assures that his leader, Pierre Poilievre, will be able to increase the conservative delegation in the region.
We have a chef who is extremely popular currently, and who is becoming more and more popular in Canada, he maintains. We really have some very high caliber people who want to come forward with us.
We will have a great team with Mr. Poilievre.
A quote from Bernard Généreux, MP for Montmagny—L'Islet—Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup
Since his death, tributes to Brian Mulroney have multiplied, both from the public and from the entire political class.
For his part, the former member for Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup no longer recognizes himself in the current Conservative Party of Canada.
Poilievre, he's not my man, he's not Brian Mulroney. Far, far from it, says André Plourde.
I would even tell you that Pierre Poilievre will not go down in history.
A quote from André Plourde, former MP for Kamouraska—Rivière-du-Loup (1984-1993)
As for him, Jean-Pierre Pigeon rallied behind Pierre Poilievre following the defeat of Jean Charest, whom he supported during the last Conservative leadership race.
When a leadership race is over, there is a winner. I always rally because I am a blue, he explains.
The former Gaspé candidate does not lose hope and still believes in a strong return of the party in the region.
When I talk to people, fishing industry people, business people, fishermen: they always hesitate. And what I understood in the last three elections is that people are taking refuge in the Bloc Québécois in the riding. Here, [liberal MP] Diane Lebouthillier served three terms. This means that people have a strong federalist feeling, he analyzes.
I tell you: there is a conservative background, I feel it.
A quote from Jean-Pierre Pigeon, former financial agent of the Conservative Party of Canada
Voters will decide in the next election whether this conservative background will come forward again.
In the meantime, current MPs are preparing and promising to fight for retain their seat.
The member for Gaspésie—Les-Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Diane Lebouthillier, has already announced her intention to run again in next elections.
Pierre Chapdelaine de Montvalon ( View profile)Pierre Chapdelaine de MontvalonFollow
Natasha Kumar has been a reporter on the news desk since 2018. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Times Hub, Natasha Kumar worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my natasha@thetimeshub.in 1-800-268-7116
