Jean-François Plante

Jean-François "Jeff" Plante is a Canadian conservative/self-described libertarian activist and supporter of men's rights. He has been a radio host, and was also running for leadership of the Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ), following Mario Dumont's resignation after the 2008 Quebec election.^[1] He served as the president of the Conservative Party of Quebec.

Radio

Plante is curently hosting with Max Bradette, Les Cowboys de la Radio, the main show at 1040 AM Montreal. He is also the program director of the station.

Municipal politics

Plante was elected to Montreal's City Council for the district of Père-Marquette in 1998 with 34% of the vote, defeating incumbent Robert Laramée (33%). In 2001, Plante ran in the district of Louis-Hébert (Rosemont–Petite-Patrie borough). He received 64% of the vote. He did not run for re-election in 2005. Plante was affiliated to the Vision Montréal party of Mayor Pierre Bourque.

Provincial politics

Plante also ran as an Action démocratique du Québec (ADQ) candidate for the Basses-Laurentides district of Deux-Montagnes in 2007.

On March 5, 2007, Journalist Denis Lessard unveiled past declarations he made on his radio show. Plante declared that too much emphasis was put on violence towards women while none for men. He also refused to wear the annual white ribbon, which is used to remember the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre, asserting it was used by certain feminist lobbies to say that every man should be held responsible for this crime. Plante claimed that the event was hijacked of its real meaning by lobbies to serve a political agenda. Plante's theory was later confirmed by Claude Colgan, Brother of Helen Colgan, one of the Polytechnique victims ^[2]

Left wing medias, pressured Dumont to make him resign which he did three days later.^[3] Lucie Leblanc replaced Plante as candidate. ADQ won the district of Deux-Montagnes sending Leblanc to the legislature with 36% of the vote.

As of May 2, 2007 (more than a month after the election), Plante still held an executive job within the ADQ party structure. Liberal Cabinet Members Nathalie Normandeau, Monique Jérôme-Forget, Christine St-Pierre, Line Beauchamp most of whom were later named in the Charbonneau commission (for corruption in politics)^{[4] [5]}called for his resignation.^[6] So far Dumont has refused to expel Plante, claiming that anyone has the right to support the ADQ. Plante later quit on his own.^[7]

Plante later ran for the leadership of the ADQ under the theme of integrity but was mysteriously disqualified from the running after it was determined that he didn't had enough valid signatures. But later on, it was established that the whole controversial campaign was poorly organized and monitored by the party's establishment ^[8] and Mario Charpentier, the president who expelled Plante, was later convicted by the Directeur General des Élections du Québec for illegal financing.^[9]

After the ADQ merged with the CAQ, a small wing of the party left to form the Conservative Party of Quebec. Plante was named president. He left the party shortly after.

See also

• Jeff Fillion
• André Arthur

References