Jean-François Plante

Jean-François "Jeff" Plante is an internet radio host, a right-wing activist and "égalitariste"

atellite Radio

He runs Radio XTRM, one of the first Canadian internet based radio stations. Radiopirate's Jeff Fillion also invites him regularly on his show. Since May 8 2007, Plante hosts his own show daily on XM Satellite Radio's channel XM 172. [ [http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070504/CPACTUALITES/70504025/1019/CPACTUALITES L'ex-candidat de l'ADQ J.-F. Plante en ondes à XM Radio Satellite, La Presse, May 4, 2007] ]

Municipal Politics

He 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. The ADQ was under much scrutiny from the media, because a number of observers felt that most of the party's candidates were neither experienced nor qualified enough to properly manage the provincial government.

On March 5 2007, Plante put his party in the hot seat when the Quebec Liberal Party unveiled a patchwork of past declarations he made on his internet radio. 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 but also used by certain feminist lobbies to say that every men should be held responsible of this crime. Plante claimed that the event was hijacked of its real meaning by lobbies to serve a political agenda.

The media, who had largely ignored Plante's somewhat controversial rhetoric during his years as a councilmember, pressured Dumont to make him resign which he did three days later. [ [http://www.cbc.ca/canada/quebecvotes2007/story/2007/03/08/adq-resignation.html Controversial ADQ candidate resigns, CBC News, March 8, 2007] ] Lucie Leblanc replaced Plante as candidate.

Following the incident, Plante's appeal with Conservative radio audiences seems even stronger. Besides, media criticism has not prevented the ADQ from winning the district of Deux-Montagnes. Leblanc was sent 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. Female Liberal Cabinet Members Nathalie Normandeau, Monique Jérôme-Forget, Christine St-Pierre and Line Beauchamp called for his resignation. [ [http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070502/CPACTUALITES/70502113/1026/CPACTUALITES Les ministres libérales exigent la tête de Jean-François Plante, La Presse, May 2, 2007] ] So far Dumont has refused to expel Plante, claiming that anyone has the right to support the ADQ. [ [http://www.cyberpresse.ca/article/20070503/CPACTUALITES/705030568/1019/CPACTUALITES La tête de Jean-François Plante réclamée, Tommy Chouinard, La Presse, May 3, 2007] ]

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