(Ottawa) The Liberal candidate in the riding of LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, Laura Palestini, is hopeful that her notoriety will help her win the by-election – and thus prevent the Liberals from losing a second fortress, after the one that collapsed in Toronto earlier this summer.
The election campaign is officially underway, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announcing Sunday that the by-election will be held on September 16 – a date that coincides with the return of federal MPs to Parliament Hill.
A Liberal defeat in what was until recently considered a safe riding would be a strange start to the parliamentary session for Justin Trudeau’s troops, for whom the defeat in Toronto–St. Paul’s on June 24 was a cold shower.
“You can’t take an election for granted. You have to work hard to win, and I’m sure that together, we’ll succeed. I remain very, very, very positive,” said Laura Palestini in a telephone interview Monday morning, saying she has a large contingent of volunteers.
The municipal councillor’s entrance on the scene, a little over a week ago, caused some gnashing of teeth. She was chosen by the Liberal Party authorities, without an investiture assembly, while at least three aspiring candidates for the investiture had been hard at work for several months.
On the phone, Laura Palestini says she “absolutely” understands the disappointment and anger of these people. “I am a human being […] “I definitely reached out to those who were available to talk to me, and we had some good discussions,” she explains.
This militant discontent has been added to the broader public discontent with Justin Trudeau personally and his government. “That’s not the issue that seems to be on the minds of this riding,” the Liberal maintains, nonetheless.
“People tend to say to me, ‘I don’t want to [Pierre] Poilievre,” she says. I work hard, and I strongly believe that the issues we have, we will work on them together with the Liberal Party, and we will win.
Towards a three-way race
The Conservative Party does not, however, appear to be the main threat in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun. Instead, a three-way race is emerging with the Bloc Québécois and the New Democratic Party (NDP), according to the polling aggregation site 338Canada.
The Montreal riding has been without a member of parliament since the resignation of former Justice Minister David Lametti last February.
The New Democrats have set their sights on Craig Sauvé, also a city councillor, to represent the riding. In the Bloc Québécois, the candidate is long-time activist and political staffer Louis-Philippe Sauvé.
PHOTO MARTIN TREMBLAY, LA PRESSE ARCHIVES
Craig Sauvé, NDP candidate in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, and party leader Jagmeet Singh
The Conservative Party has nominated entrepreneur Louis Ialenti.
The last three elections in the constituency were won decisively by David Lametti, with more than 40% of the vote.