Couillard defends new Liberal star candidate Gertrude Bourdon

At the Liberal party'sfirst official health announcement of the campaign, leader Philippe Couillardcame to the defence ofnew candidate and would-be health minister, Gertrude Bourdon, whose foray into politics is off to a rocky start.

Couillardis promising to invest an extra$14 million a year in health care, providing two health insurance cards to every child, adding video consultations with doctorsand 25 new super clinics.

But the proposals were overshadowed by Bourdon'spresence, her second appearance as theLiberal candidate for theQuebec City riding of Jean-Lesage.

• Couillard promises to replace Gatan Barrette, his unpopular health minister, with new star candidate

Bourdonwas reportedly ready tojoin the front-running Coalition AvenirQubec(CAQ)until less than a week ago, when she made the decision to join the Liberal Party instead.

Texts between Bourdon and a CAQchief of staff, Martin Koskinen,surfaced in La Presse Saturday before the announcement. CBC obtained screenshots of the exchange.

In the text messages, Koskinenassures Bourdonthat CAQleaderFranois Legaultwas firm on his commitment to make her health minister should he be elected Oct. 1.

"I sincerely believe we are going to make history," Koskinen wrote.

To which Bourdonreplied, "I think so, too."

Bourdontaken by surprise

Bourdon, a former nurse,was namedpresident and executive director of the Quebec City's health centre, known as the CHU deQubec, by Liberal Health MinisterGatanBarrette in 2015.

When reporters asked about the texts and Bourdon's change of heart at Saturday's announcement, she appeared uncomfortable.

Bourdon said her decision to join the Liberals had already been made when she sent the reply to Koskinen, adding she met with Legaultin Montrealthe next day to tell him she would not be running under his campaign.

"I am making history. I'm here," Bourdonsaid Saturday. "I'll tell you this: what's private should stay private."

Couillarddefended Bourdonafterward, saying he believed the CAQhad misinterpretedBourdon'stext message reply and that it had put too much pressure on her in their recruitment efforts.

"I know the process she was going through," Couillard said. "She's of the calibre that you see and she needed, in my mind, to be left alone to make her decision."

Legaultsaid his decision to leak the text messages was "exceptional, but I think truth still has its right in Quebec. And I'm going to let Quebecersjudge [Bourdon's] way of behaving."

As for Bourdon'spriorities for Quebec's health care system, she said that will become clear as the campaign unfolds.

Also Saturday, Parti Qubcois leader Jean-Franois Lise chimed in on Twitter, in reaction to the Liberals' health proposals. Lisewrote that his party came up with the idea to hand out two health insurance cards during the last provincial election in 2014.

Got five minutes? We'll delivereverything you need to know about the Quebec election, directly to your inbox. Sign up for the Ballot Brief newsletter atcbc.ca/ballotbrief