Denis Coderre out of Quebec LIberal leadership race after being rejected by party

By Canadian Press on February 12, 2025.

QUÉBEC — Former Montreal mayor Denis Coderre says he won’t appeal a party decision to reject his candidacy for the Quebec Liberal leadership.

Coderre writes in a message posted to Facebook on Tuesday night that he is “disgusted” by the situation, complaining he was the victim of leaks and that “the dice were loaded” against him.

On Friday, the Quebec Liberal Party announced it had rejected Coderre’s bid to enter the race and said he had five days to appeal.

The party had said before its decision that it had not received all documents needed to make his candidacy official, which Coderre disputes.

Coderre’s candidacy had been in limbo after media outlets reported that Coderre owed nearly $400,000 in provincial and federal taxes, but Coderre said Tuesday that all sums owed to tax authorities were secured and guaranteed.

Other candidates in the leadership race, to be decided on June 14, include former federal cabinet minister Pablo Rodriguez, former CEO of the Fédération des Chambres de commerce Charles Milliard, tax lawyer Marc Bélanger and Beauce farmer Mario Roy.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 12, 2025.

The Canadian Press