Former Quebec premier Jean Charest courted by Conservative MP as possible leadership candidate

Now that a race for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Canada is unofficially under way, former Quebec premier Jean Charest is once again being floated as a possible candidate.

Alain Rayes, MP for Richmond-Arthabaska, who up until yesterday was the party’s Quebec lieutenant, told Radio-Canada’s Tout Un Matin Monday that he had already spoken to Charest about the idea and that he views him as a good candidate.

Quebec MP Alain Rayes told Radio-Canada Monday that he’d already spoken to Charest about the idea of running for the leadership. (Sean Kilpatrick/Canadian Press)

“He’s a political machine, an exceptional speaker who