Parti Quebecois newly elected leader Pierre-Karl Peladeau speaks after the leadership vote results were announced in Quebec City Friday, May 15, 2015.Jacques Boissinot/The Canadian Press
Pierre Karl Péladeau, the new Leader of the Parti Québécois, has one great strength as a politician: He has undoubted name recognition. But what is a bad-tempered, arrogant, right-wing media tycoon doing as the head of a social-democratic party?
The Fédération des travailleurs et travailleuses du Québec, the main umbrella organization for the province's labour unions, was not only opposed to Mr. Péladeau's leadership candidacy, but it has also described him as "one of the worst employers in Quebec's history." For the time being, the FTQ is waiting and seeing, as are some other leftish organizations.
More broadly and in the longer term, what will relatively left-leaning voters, who have supported the PQ as much for the sake of the welfare state as for Québécois nationalism, do in the provincial election of 2018? Mr. Péladeau's leadership victory seems like a gratuitous gift to the small left-wing parties, Québec Solidaire and Option Nationale.
His convention victory speech was mostly about the history of Quebec. That made sense for him, because he avoided saying much about the future. But Mr. Péladeau asserted that the PQ would continue to be "progressive" and criticized "neoliberals" (roughly, French for "neoconservatives").
On Tuesday, in his first remarks in the National Assembly, he spoke modestly, even professing nervousness. He sought the high ground, calling for a broadly based forum on Quebec's economy, aiming at full employment.
If Mr. Péladeau actually becomes premier, however, he would probably revert to type.
Since he entered politics, Mr. Péladeau has not fully detached himself from his business interests, as Brian Mulroney, the chairman of the Québecor board, has recently attested; he is occasionally consulted on important decisions. This is especially troubling when he is the controlling shareholder of a media company – the perception of conflict of interest is hard to shake. Even at the convention centre in Quebec City last Friday, Québecor's presence was felt: One of the biggest spaces there is the Hall Vidéotron, and access to the Internet was provided through videotron.ca.
Sooner or later, Mr. Péladeau will have to choose between himself as tycoon, and himself as a "progressive" party leader.