Quebec political spouses, led by Barrette, play bigger campaign role
Last Updated: Thursday, November 20, 2008 | 1:24 PM ET
The Canadian Press
In a break with Quebec political tradition, the wife of Action Démocratique du Québec Leader Mario Dumont is playing a more prominent role in a bid to help his flagging campaign.
He may need all the help he can get.
Poll numbers for the ADQ are in the cellar and place Premier Jean Charest comfortably within reach of the majority government he hoped to reclaim by having the Dec. 8 election.
In the past, political spouses have been virtual phantoms in Quebec election campaigns with most standing dutifully — and quietly — at their partner's side as a pillar of moral support.
But Dumont's wife Marie-Claude Barrette was a ubiquitous presence on TV screens in the province as she gave a flurry of media interviews Wednesday.
"My wife is bringing a lot of hope to families in Quebec," Dumont said Wednesday, in what seemed to be another attempt to channel the style of U.S. President-elect Barack Obama.
It's not just the buzzwords like, "hope," that Dumont is borrowing from the recent presidential campaign. Having a prominent spouse on the stump is also a hallmark of U.S. politicking.
Obama's wife, Michelle, became a central and at times controversial player in the U.S. election and even delivered a lengthy address at the Democratic national convention.
Hillary Clinton, Laura Bush and Nancy Reagan are also recent examples of U.S. presidential spouses with far more prominent roles than most of their Canadian counterparts.
Dumont said his wife considers it unacceptable how little attention is being paid to ideas the ADQ champions in areas like health care and education.
There have been reports that Charest's wife, Michèle Dionne, and Parti Québécois Leader Pauline Marois' husband Claude Blanchet are also preparing to weigh in during the campaign.
Leaders' spouses can make a difference
While a rare phenomenon in Quebec, a few political better-halves have stood out before.
Madeleine Ryan, wife of then-Quebec Liberal leader Claude Ryan, was pivotal in rallying federalist women during the 1980 sovereignty referendum after she was criticized by the PQ as being subservient.
Lisette Lapointe, a PQ stalwart, was a forceful presence at then-premier Jacques Parizeau's side and has since been elected to the Quebec legislature.
At the federal level, political spouses such as Prime Minister Stephen Harper's wife Laureen have played a slightly greater role in election campaigns.
The prime minister's wife delivered a speech at a giant rally in the final weekend of the last campaign as the Tories cranked up their advertising aimed at female voters.
Aline Chrétien, Mila Mulroney and Sheila Martin were also often seen at their husbands' side but rarely played the vocal public role of political spouses in the United States.
In the U.S. campaign, Michelle Obama even became a target for political attack when she declared that her husband's campaign had made her proud of her country for the first time in her adult life.
Cindy McCain, wife of Republican nominee John McCain, also delivered a speech at her party's national convention. Former U.S. president Bill Clinton served as his wife's attack dog during the Democratic primaries.
Political scientist Pierre Martin said the appearance of Quebec political spouses now is likely an attempt to inject some life into a boring election campaign.
"So far this campaign hasn't got off the ground," he said.
"I called it a 'Seinfeld' campaign — a campaign about nothing — so if you have a campaign about nothing then you have to put in some new characters to raise the interest."
Martin said thrusting families into the political spotlight — Dumont's children were also spotted on TV on Wednesday — could be considered a distraction by voters.
"My sense is that, in general, Quebecers are not terribly interested in that dimension," he said.
He also suggested the tactic could backfire if Marois used her husband, a successful businessman who has run major public institutions such as the Societe générale de financement, the province's investment arm.
"What he would add himself, other than perhaps drawing attention to potential conflicts of interests in these kinds of issues, is to me unclear," Martin said.
Marois targets Charest
On the campaign trail, Marois made it clear she will sharpen her attacks on Charest in an effort to cut into a large Liberal lead, measured in a pair of recent opinion polls at 11 percentage points.
She said the premier "lied" to Quebecers when he said in the 2003 and 2007 elections that he was ready to fix problems in health care and education.
And she called it a "myth" that the Liberals are best suited to run the province's economy.
"I'm sorry, but he has been there for six years and he hasn't fixed any problems," Marois said at a news conference before meeting Quebec City Mayor Régis Labeaume.
"Not only has he not fixed any problems but Quebec's economy has regressed."
Marois fended off suggestions that she is cutting back on her activities because of fatigue: "I am not tired. I am a very strong woman and I generally have a very busy day," she said.
The 59-year-old Péquiste leader recently had surgery for appendicitis and was hospitalized for several days.
Dumont focused on health care, and accused the Liberals of catering to the needs of the rich while regular Quebecers are left behind.
