But in recent months she has been dogged by questions about her expenses, leading one Conservative MP to suggest she has become an embarrassment to Canada. Jean, who was born in Haiti, was Canada’s governor general from 2005 to 2010. But an expert on La Francophonie said Jean’s biggest challenge in securing re-election isn’t her record, but rather a growing sentiment that the French-language nations’ association should have an African leader. And while the controversy over expenses could be a factor, Cardinal noted it’s hardly a surprise given that Jean faced similar criticism as governor general. Cardinal, who has met Jean on several occasions, said the former governor general is a “fighter” who will put up a good campaign.

Source: National Post May 27, 2018 20:48 UTC