ADQ Members Seek to Draft Maxime

Action Democratique du Quebec woo former Foreign Affairs Minister

In the wake of a crushing defeat in the 2008 Quebec Provincial Election, the Action Democratique du Quebec is searching for a replacement for the only leader it has ever known.

When Mario Dumont resigned as ADQ leader in order to seek a career in the private sector it seemed that very few ADQ members were interested in the job.

With the lack of interest in the ADQ leadership absolutely palpable, some members of the party -- something of a defacto Conservative party of Quebec -- are attempting to recruit former Foreign Affairs Minister Maxime Bernier for the job.

The problem is that Bernier himself isn't interested.

"I'm flattered that some people can see me as ADQ leader, but it doesn't interest me at all," Bernier announced. "I've made my decision and it's firm -- I will run as a candidate to be a federal MP in the next election."

Whether Bernier has what it takes to resurrect the ADQ after the near-career-killing Julie Couillard debacle is a matter for debate. But Mark Burzan, the president of the Hull, Quebec ADQ riding association, thinks he has it.

"He shares the same philosophies as the ADQ, he is from the same generation as Mario Dumont and he is very popular in his riding," Burzan explained. "There was a controversy, but I don't think we should exclude someone because they made one mistake, especially when it wasn't as bad as we initially thought."

If Bernier were to lead the ADQ back to its glory days of less than a year ago, he would have to undergo a significant rehabilitation process as a candidate.

The accomplishment of this rehabilitation is far from out of the question. Unfortuantely for Bernier, leadership of the ADQ is.