Pierre Arcand named interim leader of Quebec Liberals

Pierre Arcandhas been named the interim leader of the Liberal Party of Quebec.

The newly elected members of the party gatheredon Friday morning for their first caucus meeting since Monday's election.

In a secret vote, they choseArcandto lead the party as it attempts to make sense of itscrushing defeat,obtaining thelowest share of the popular vote since Confederation.

The party went from forming a majority government with 68 seats, to serving as the official opposition, with 32 MNAs.

"When times get rough, you have to know how to get back up," Arcandsaid during the announcement.

During the last mandate, Arcandserved as minister of energy and natural resources, as well as minister responsible for the North Shore region.

He was named chair of the Treasury Board in 2017. He was first elected in 2007, and was re-electedMonday with a comfortable 51.34per cent of the vote

The interim leadership may be a relatively long one, as the party tries to figure out how to move forward.

Several MNAs said the party needed to reconnect with its members to understand why so many people chose to not casta vote for the Liberals.

"We are ready to work together on this. We are aware there is a long road ahead," Arcand said.

Guy Ouellettethrown out of caucus

The MNAfor Chomedey, Guy Ouellette, will not take part part in this new chapter the Liberal caucus voted to kick him out.

During the election campaign, Franois Legaultconfirmed media reports Ouelletteleaked information to the CAQ.

Ouellettedenied he was the source of the leak, suggestingmembers of Quebec's anti-corruption unit (UPAC)sent the information after confiscating his computers.

The outgoing leader Philippe Couillard defended him, even days before the elections, promising a place for him in the caucus.

But Ouellettewas absent from the party's first post-election meeting on Thursday, and didn't show up for the caucus meeting on Friday morning.

New role as opposition party

The newly electedMNAsapplauded their new leader as he vowed to keep theCAQin check andmake sure it respectsits electoral promises.

"You promised a lot, now you will have to deliver on those promises,"Arcandsaid.

He said the Liberals' otherpriority will be to discredit the economic platformQubecSolidairepresented during the campaign, calling it "unrealistic."

When questioned why the Liberals were already focusing its attention on a party that doesn't yet have official status,Arcand replied they"were a bit annoyed to hear [QS] call themselves the official opposition."

Qubec Solidaireco-spokespersonGabrielNadeau-Duboissaid it will be difficult for the Liberals to do their job in the opposition because theirplatform is "practically the same as the government's".

"The only party at the National Assembly to really have a different vision of society isQubecSolidaire," hesaidat the party's caucusmeeting in Montreal.

Meanwhile,Legaulttweeted that as the leader of the official opposition, Arcandwould be his "counterpart".

"I am convinced that we will be able to work constructivelyfor Quebecers," he wrote.

Legault-Couillard meeting

While the vote was taking place, outgoing Premier Philippe Couillard met withLegault to begin discussing thetransition of power, which Couillardpromised to make"as smoothas possible."

Couillard said Legault was lucky to start his mandate with a solid financial situation, one of the legacies the Liberals said they achieved during their mandate, by delivering four consecutivebalancedbudgets.

"I didn't arrive in the same conditions in 2014," Couillardsaid.

Legaultsaid the two leaders had more in common than met the eye, despite Couillardtaking aim at the CAQ'sintention to ban religious symbols in the workplace.

Couillardalluded to the divisive issue during his speech on Thursday, whenhe announced he was leaving politics.

"Quebec must remain a welcoming place, a society where everyone has a seat at the table, a place where people are judged by what they have in their heads, not on their heads," he said in his outgoing speech.

Couillard would not comment on these opposing visions on Friday, saying he didn't want to dive into "sensitive topics."

"For me, the page is turned," Couillardsaid.

Legaultagreed, saying the campaign, and the debates, were over,and wished Couillard"happiness" in his new life.