Charest’s possible departure would benefit Quebec Liberals in long run.

It seems the talks on Quebec’s budget have suddenly reached an impasse:

With less than two days left to reach a solution, a $240 million gap still sits between the parties, with the PQ demanding a $300 million injection into health funding and the Liberals only offering $60 million… PQ finance critic Francois Legault said the PQ is not against tax cuts – it just believes the tax relief should go to lower income earners…”If Mr. Charest does not agree, I think he should start talking to Mario Dumont,” Legault said, naming the leader of the Action democratique du Quebec which has already promised to reject the budget.

Don’t worry about Charest though: If he gets defeated, and leaves, either by election loss or an ADQ takeover, he’s well set for his post-political career:

Earlier this year, Charest told close confidants his next election would likely be his last – he is said to have had lucrative private sector offers through his friend, former prime minister Brian Mulroney.

That statement is a little reminder that Charest really isn’t a “Liberal” in the PLQ; he was after all the former leader of the Progressive Conservatives. While he would be one of the few “Red Tories” in the current right-wing batch of the new Conservative Party if he were a member, he still is a conservative at heart. He has dragged the Quebec Liberals to the right; which is partially to blame for why he has steadily lost support since he first became Premier.

I believe it would benefit the PLQ electorally to make sure their next leader is one leans a bit more “progressive” in his political viewpoint over such things as taxes and services and so on.