Moldy Peaches

The Parti Québécois (PQ) leadership race has largely been a boring event, however, that is about to change. The nine candidates vying for the job will only have one subject to discuss the next few weeks - cocaine. Over the weekend, word started to leak that perceived frontrunner André Boisclair, 39, may have used cocaine during his early years. Now, he has come clean and admitted that he in fact did use the drug and that it came at a time when he was a junior cabinet minister in the Bouchard government. The acknowledgment comes just weeks before PQ members choose a new leader in a vote in November.

Boisclair admitted he used cocaine in the years during which he was a PQ cabinet minister, between 1996 and 2003. But he didn't want to discuss when he consumed coke, with whom he did it, and from where he got it.

Boisclair, an openly gay man, has faced minimal questioning about his sexuality and that is real credit to both Quebec society and the media. He is, however, facing some questions about it now combined with drug allegations. To date, he has managed to run a safe campaign, steering clear of any questioning. Most jurisdictions are concerned about whether someone inhaled marijuana or not, this is going to push the envelope. It will be interesting to see how he handles the remaining few weeks and how rural PQ members react to his recent admission.

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