(Québec) Québec solidaire and its candidate Shophika Vaithyanathasarma want to delight the riding of Marie-Victorin by focusing on public transport, affordable housing, ecological transition and the failures of the management of the pandemic by the Legault government.
Posted at 10:53 am
“In Marie-Vic as in the next general election, the management of the pandemic will be an unavoidable debate. We will not be able to go to the election without talking about the nameless tragedy that took place in our CHSLDs. It is too great a trauma for Quebec society for it not to occupy a certain place in the next election, ”explained the parliamentary leader of Quebec solidaire Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois during a virtual press conference on Wednesday.
The by-election which will take place in Marie-Victorin and whose date has still not been announced by the Legault government is necessary because of the departure of the former Member of Parliament Catherine Fournier, elected mayor of Longueuil last November.
“I see that there is more and more dissatisfaction with the management of the pandemic by François Legault. But the pandemic is here for a while yet, and we will have to learn to fight against this virus while continuing to have other debates in society. The pandemic and its management by the Legault government will be essential, but we do not want this to be the only issue, ”he added.
Housing crisis
Mr. Nadeau-Dubois and his candidate therefore wish to “cause surprise”. Shophika Vaithyanathasarma, who was a candidate for the Bloc Québécois in Rosemont – La Petite-Patrie during the federal elections in fall 2021, will speak about housing, public transit and the environment. She would like to see a free public transit pilot project in Longueuil, for example. The “housing crisis is hitting hard” in Longueuil, she said, and it is difficult to find “affordable and decent housing”, especially for “single-parent families like mine,” she said.
Mme Vaithyanathasarma admitted to having had discussions with the Parti Quebecois following its defeat, but said that Quebec solidaire was his first choice. “I speak to all the separatists and I am very proud to be with Québec solidaire,” she said.
She will face the PQ candidate Pierre Nantel, who notably represented the federal riding of Longueuil-Pierre-Boucher for the NDP, the liberal Émilie Nollet and Martine Ouellet, who founded the Climate Quebec party. The Quebec Future Coalition has not yet revealed the identity of the person who will wear its colors during this partial.
Born in Montreal and of Sri Lankan origin, Shophika Vaithyanathasarma has a bachelor’s degree in mathematics and sociology from the University of Montreal. The 22-year-old candidate is currently in graduate studies in mathematics education, says Québec solidaire in a biographical note.