Ten days before the by-election, the candidates of the Quebec Liberal Party (PLQ) and Quebec solidaire (QS) are knocking on the doors of voters in Saint-Henri–Sainte-Anne to encourage them to vote in large number for their political formation for the second time in six months. The ability they have to mobilize their supporters will determine the outcome of the race, it is emphasized in one camp as in the other.
During the general elections of October 3, the Liberal leader had obtained 2,736 votes more than her main opponent, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, who wore the colors of QS.
The PLQ had won a plurality of votes in nearly two-thirds of the 148 polling divisions in the riding of Sud-Ouest de Montréal, against nearly a third for QS. Beyond this duel, only the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) managed to make some gains, taking the upper hand in four polling divisions located in the Ville-Émard (three) and Côte-Saint-Paul (one) districts. .
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Contested, Dominique Anglade gave up her seat as leader of the PLQ on November 7, then that of deputy on November 1.er last December. Will the Liberal stronghold, which it has occupied for seven years, in turn fall under the onslaught of QS — like Verdun and Maurice-Richard — now that the PLQ can no longer count on its own vote output in the general elections? and on the “bonus of the chef” which he enjoyed six months ago?
“The parties, we all fight against each other. But, ultimately, our biggest challenge to all, for democracy, is the turnout,” said a strategist in the campaign office of Liberal candidate, Christopher Baenninger, on Notre-Dame Street.
The same challenge arose when M.me Anglade was elected MP for the first time, in 2015, in a by-election, which was necessary after the departure of Marguerite Blais. Only 23.9% of voters cast their vote then, compared to 68.3% in the 2014 general election.
“I will try you”
Mr. Baenninger takes nothing for granted. “I’m here every day from early in the morning, until quite late in the evening”, he argues before rushing into the streets of the snowy district of Saint-Henri, which he calls the “core” of the constituency.
By opening her door decorated with a crown with a rabbit, Louise Jacques lets out a delicious smell of cake in the neighborhood. “I’m starting to get tired,” sighs the lady, who recognized the 50-year-old man because of the many election posters hung here and there. “We no longer know who to vote for. We are promised things and it does not happen, ”she continues.
I’m there every day from early morning until quite late at night.
After a few minutes of discussions on the difficulties of making ends meet, Ms.me Jacques confides to the candidate that she has never voted red in her life. “But I’m going to try you,” she says, adding that she voted orange in the last ballot. “It’s music to my ears,” replies the aspiring MP, before politely refusing the little pastries just out of the oven. “I have to stay professional. »
In this sector, the PLQ and QS are neck and neck. The situation is different east of the riding, notably in Griffintown, where condominium towers have sprouted like weeds over the past decade. The real estate projects have attracted a more cosmopolitan and English-speaking electorate, “very strong in supporting the Liberals”, notes political scientist Thierry Giasson on the phone.
Between Saint-Henri and Griffintown
The solidarity candidate, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, chats with passers-by at the Georges-Vanier metro station, in Little Burgundy. “Last time, I came second. It was close. But I want to come first this time,” the immigration lawyer says, all smiles, to a lady as she goes through the turnstiles.
Nearly 9,000 voters in the constituency had lined up behind QS in the fall of 2022, compared to 7,413 four years earlier (2018). “The challenge will be above all to find these sympathizers who voted for us and to give them a reason to vote”, indicates a solidarity organizer. The challenge is all the greater since many are unaware of the by-election.
Mr. Cliche-Rivard distributes leaflets along with the co-spokesperson of the left party, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “Put one here,” says local resident Lam Phan, waving his bag. “Do you know our excellent candidate? asks Mr. Nadeau-Dubois. “Yes, he takes care of immigrants,” retorts Mr. Phan with a smile.
If the latter voted for Dominique Anglade in the last elections, he now considers that those in solidarity are best placed to “kick” the government of François Legault, which obtained a parliamentary “supermajority” on October 3 last. “Liberals take immigrants for granted,” he laments, before continuing on his way to the escalator.
For Québec solidaire, this is an opportunity to recover from their disappointment caused by the latest election results, argues Université Laval political science professor Thierry Giasson. The party elected 11 deputies in 2022, only one more than in 2018. “Winning this partial would be an extraordinarily important symbolic victory for them,” he explains.
On the other hand, “it would be a huge defeat for [les libéraux] in a context where things are not going well for the party and where there are many questions about its ability to maintain itself, grow and reposition itself in the political spectrum in Quebec,” he continued.
Try to convince “the most people”
In the Pointe-Saint-Charles district, in the southeast of the riding, the CAQ candidate Victor Pelletier is trying to engage passers-by before they rush into the Charlevoix metro station.
Many of them barely slowed down when the 21-year-old handed them a pamphlet, but the president of the CAQ’s Commission Relève kept smiling. “We try to meet as many people as possible and convince as many people as possible,” he told the Duty. We will not hide it, it is not a corner that has voted for the CAQ in the past. But here we are trying to get our message across. His party came third in the last poll, with 17.7% of the vote.
The Pointe-Saint-Charles district is fertile ground, not for the CAQ, but for QS, since community groups are swarming in the district, points out Professor Giasson.
The CAQ obtained the plurality of votes in only four of the 148 polling divisions, including two in the northern part of Monk Street. Crossed by The duty in front of the retirement home where he lives, Pierre Lauzon says he is determined not to renew his support for the CAQ. “With their majority, they think they are good and that everything is beautiful. You have to shake them up a bit so that they do as much as they can,” he says, leaning on his walker.
“I’m going to vote for the Parti Québécois,” he announced when he saw a CIUSSS vehicle. The driver politely explains to him that he is “not here to [lui] “. Mr. Lauzon’s face closes.