Even though it is lagging behind in voting intentions, the Bloc Québécois is hopeful of dislodging the Liberals in the riding of LaSalle–Émard–Verdun. After the New Democratic Party (NDP) the day before, Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet and his candidate Louis-Philippe Sauvé were in Verdun on Wednesday to launch their campaign.
“I intend to do a ‘field campaign’. I want to get closer to my world, I want to get closer to my community where I have lived since I left the family home eight years ago,” said Louis-Philippe Sauvé, Wednesday morning, during a press briefing at the offices of the Madelinot social movement in Verdun.
The campaign will not be “easy,” admits Yves-François Blanchet. The sovereignist leader intends to take advantage of this by-election to reconquer the riding, which has been under the Liberal banner since 2013. “Aren’t we tired of having ridings on the island of Montreal where anyone can run under the Liberal banner and do nothing about their local issues, convinced that nothing can happen to them? Because after all, he is a Liberal in the West End of Montreal,” said Mr. Blanchet.
In an attempt to win the September 16 by-election, the Bloc intends to campaign on housing and seniors issues. Regarding housing, the party wants to “accelerate the process” of building social and student housing by removing “harmful intermediary jurisdictions.” According to Mr. Blanchet, Ottawa should send money to the Quebec government and then pass it on to the most competent level in the matter: the municipal level.
As for seniors, the Bloc hopes to pass Bill C-319, which would increase “by 10% the amount of the full pension to which all pensioners aged 65 or over are entitled.” The Bloc hopes to resolve the “discrimination put in place by the Liberals” between the old age pension paid to seniors aged 65 and over and that paid to those aged 75 and over.
Alongside his candidate, Yves-François Blanchet also called for “legislative intervention on issues of security, violence and crime” and “successful immigration”, calling for Montreal to be made a city where English-speaking minorities are not disadvantaged by the preservation of French.
An optimistic campaign
Even though the Bloc is third in voting intentions according to the 338Canada website, Mr. Blanchet says he has full confidence in his candidate. “Louis-Philippe is a damn good guy. I know him because he worked in the research department at the firm and he was a diligent guy. He’s a damn good guy who worked on the Aboriginal Affairs, Labour and Fisheries files,” he stressed.
“My candidacy is based on the conviction that I can win this election and I think it will be won through a lot of effort and work. I am convinced that we will win,” confided Mr. Sauvé.
As of July 28, however, it is the candidate selected by the Liberal Party of Canada, Laura Palestini, who is leading in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun. With 30% of voting intentions, six points separate the Liberal from the candidates of the NDP (24%) and the Bloc (24%) in this riding.
But as the 2025 federal election approaches, it is the Conservative Party of Canada that is dominating polls across the country. The Conservatives continue to rack up donations, with $9.8 million received in the second quarter of the year.
The Bloc leader, however, is not letting himself be impressed, believing that “a lot of things can happen” between now and the general election. “The exercise is not to tell people to ‘vote for what the parties are proposing’, it’s not a hockey lottery where we bet on who will win. It’s an election where we choose the people who will represent us,” he concluded.