After long suggesting he didn鈥檛 need to know French to be prime minister, unofficial Conservative leadership candidate Kevin O鈥橪eary says he is taking French lessons and getting better every day.
O鈥橪eary told CTV鈥檚 Power Play last year that he thought Quebeckers would 鈥済ive him a pass on the language issue.鈥� But he now vows to be proficient 鈥渂y the time I have to debate Trudeau two years from now.鈥�
鈥淚 want to learn it. I鈥檝e been committed to do it,鈥� he told CTV鈥檚 Question Period.
鈥淧eople say I can鈥檛 speak French,鈥� O鈥橪eary added. 鈥淐鈥檈st pas vrai. Mon francais deviens (sic) mieux chaque jour.鈥�
That rare public statement in his second language translates to 鈥渋t鈥檚 not true, my French becomes better every day.鈥�
O鈥橪eary also joked that there are 鈥渢hree official languages鈥� in Canada: English, French and 鈥渢he language of jobs.鈥� He said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will never speak the language of jobs.
Several of the candidates vying to replace Stephen Harper do speak fluent French, including Steven Blaney, Maxime Bernier, Chris Alexander, Pierre Lemieux, Rick Peterson and Andrew Scheer.
Candidates Erin O鈥橳oole and Michael Chong can speak intermediate French, while Lisa Raitt and Deepak Obhrai have said they鈥檙e taking lessons.
Bernier has said he believes the party cannot win without a 鈥渓eader who can speak in French to Quebecers."
The party holds 12 of Quebec鈥檚 78 seats. Four of the members from Quebec Saskatchewan鈥檚 Andrew Scheer and two have endorsed fellow Quebec MP Maxime Bernier. Both men are bilingual.
