Liberal Party leadership race begins in Quebec with Charles Milliard

Liberal Party leadership race begins in Quebec on Monday

Quebec Liberal Party leadership race begins Monday
ByErika MorrisOpens in new window


Updated: January 11, 2026 at 11:57AM EST

Published: January 11, 2026 at 11:50AM EST

Charles Milliard, candidate for the leadership of the Quebec Liberal Party, delivers a speech at the Quebec Liberal Party leadership convention in Quebec City on Sat., June 14, 2025. (Joel Ryan/The Canadian Press) (Joel Ryan/La Presse canadienne)

The latest Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) leadership race kicks off Monday to find Pablo Rodriguez’s successor after he resigned while mired in controversy last month.

So far, one candidates has officially thrown his name into the ring: Charles Milliard — former head of the Quebec Federation of Chambers of Commerce.

Milliard came in second behind Rodriguez in the previous race.


Others have floated the idea of vying for the leadership, including farmer Mario Roy, who would be running a second time, former Via Rail Canada President and CEO Yves Desjardins-Siciliano and former Desjardins Group President and CEO Guy Cormier.

Desjardins-Siciliano announced Sunday he changed his mind despite “having received expressions of confidence ... [and] support.”

The former president of the Conseil du patronat, Karl Blackburn, has already announced that he will not be running.

Hopefuls have until Feb. 13 at 5 p.m. to register and enter the leadership race. The new head of the party will be chosen at the PLQ convention March 14.


The latest race will be significantly shorter than the previous, which officially started Jan. 13, 2025 and ended when Rodriguez was elected on June 14.READ MORE: Quebec Liberal leadership hopeful wants to bring back to ‘bread and butter’ issues

The party announced last week it has appointed a “compliance and ethics officer” to ensure compliance with the Election Act in terms of financing for its new leadership race.

Just months after winning his bid last June, Rodriguez was severely criticized following reports alleging some party members were paid to vote for him in the campaign.

Last November, The Journal de Montréal alleged that some 20 donors had been reimbursed for their $500 contributions at a fundraising event.

As a result, the National Assembly adopted a “no-brownies” law, effectively closing a loophole in the province’s electoral law which technically allowed offering a donation in exchange for a vote — provided all candidate expenses were submitted to Quebec’s chief electoral officer.

The PLQ launched an internal investigation into the allegations. Quebec’s anti-corruption police is also investigating the party.