Beauchamp began his career as a financial writer for La Presse and served as assistant publisher and editor-in-chief of Le Soleil in the late 1970s.
Beauchamp acknowledged that this proposal was "not perfect" but added that he did not want to see the entire constitutional reform package fall apart due to disagreements on this issue from various parties.
[14] Beauchamp ultimately supported and campaigned for the Charlottetown Accord, a constitutional reform package introduced in August 1992 by the Canadian federal government of Brian Mulroney.
Supported by incumbent councillor Nick Auf der Maur and former Civic Party leader Claude Dupras, he cast himself as a reformer who could change the culture of city hall, fix the economy, and create jobs.
[19] He formally launched the Action Montreal party in February 1994, pledging to "modernize" city hall, reduce the number of civil servants, and turn some municipal services over to the private sector.
[20] After the party's creation, Beauchamp received support from incumbent councillors Gérard Legault and Vittorio Capparelli, both formerly of the Montreal Citizens' Movement (MCM).
[22] After a Le Devoir poll put him in fourth place, he withdrew from the contest in April 1994 to support Vision Montreal candidate Pierre Bourque.