With all the usual caveats whenever anonymous Liberals are involved, a novel theory is attributed to Denis Coderre here.
Coderre has pressured some long-serving MPs with safe seats to resign, according to a number of Liberal sources. They told CBC News the party wants those seats for star female candidates as part of its renewal process. The sources said former party leader Stéphane Dion, along with Bernard Patry, Raymonde Folco, and Lise Zarac, have all been asked to step aside.
Two of those MPs are publicly downplaying the suggestion. Patry said he did speak to Coderre about his future candidacy, but when asked by CBC News if he felt pressured to resign, he said, “Not really.” ”He asked me if I thought I would run again and I told him yes,” Patry said.
In an interview, Folco said she had heard rumours that she was going to be asked to resign, so she made an appointment to meet with the leader. ”I said, ‘I want to stay’ and he said, ‘It’s true, I want renewal, but you will stay in the party and be the candidate for Laval-Les Îles.’”
Speaking of renewal, Lise Zarac was first elected all of eleven and a half months ago. Change moves swiftly these days.
