Mixed reactions to Bernier’s leadership defeat in his home riding of Beauce
ST-GEORGES, Que. — Quebecers and the “extremely strong” lobby of the province’s professional farmers’ union are to blame for Maxime Bernier’s defeat in the Conservative leadership race, according to an ex-mayor in Bernier’s hometown in Quebec’s Beauce region.
Roger Carette, a Bernier supporter who served as mayor of St-Georges from 1994 to 2009, says he can’t understand how Quebec let the candidate down.
“It’s Quebec that took him out of there,” he said, moments after learning Bernier had lost the race to Andrew Scheer. “If you look at the difference of one per cent of votes, that’s the difference in Quebec.”
According to Conservative party data, Bernier was beaten by Scheer in his home riding of Beauce, collecting 48.89 per cent of support compared to 51.11 per cent for the Saskatchewan native.