The CAQ can boast of having chased the Parti Québécois from one of its last strongholds: the CAQ candidate Shirley Dorismond has put an end to sovereignist domination in Marie-Victorin and will represent the riding in Quebec.
• Read also: The CAQ wins in Marie-Victorin
Nurse and former vice-president of the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec, Ms. Dorismond won over the Parti Québécois candidate, Pierre Nantel, in the by-election which took place Monday in the riding located in Longueuil.
It must be said that the CAQ troops had mobilized the big guns of the Legault government throughout the campaign. Monday evening, the ministers Nathalie Roy, Jean-François Roberge, Simon Jolin-Barrette, André Lamontagne, Christian Dubé, Ian Lafrenière were also on hand to show their support for the candidate.
At the time of writing these lines, about thirty activists were present in the small pizzeria reserved for the occasion.
Since its creation, the riding of Marie-Victorin had always been won by the PQ, except once.
In the last general election, the CAQ candidate Martyne Prévost had still heated the PQ Catherine Fournier, who had won with 30.8% against 28.4% for the CAQ. The election of Ms. Fournier as mayor of Longueuil led to the triggering of this by-election.
The CAQ had also won the only previous by-election, defeating the Liberals in their stronghold of Jean-Talon, in Quebec, in 2019.
Monday’s ballot was seen as an opportunity to assess the Legault government’s record, after 3 and a half years or power, including two years of pandemic. On the other hand, it was a test for the Parti Québécois, which sought to keep this fortified castle.
Temper expectations
At the start of the day, the CAQ leader had nevertheless tried to temper expectations. “You never know, but it’s a PQ castle,” said Premier François Legault, recalling the generally low turnout observed during by-elections.
“We have to understand more that this is a test for the Parti Québécois,” continued the CAQ leader, who hopes at the very least to obtain a better result than in the last elections.
“We hope to beat our 2018 score to 28%,” said Mr. Legault, before specifying that the CAQ “hopes to win” with candidate Shirley Dorismond, who faces among others the PQ Pierre Nantel.
protesters
Outside the CAQ rally on Monday, around 30 anti-sanitary measures protesters came to confront Prime Minister François Legault. “We came to ask questions: why did he kidnap us for two years?” explained Moïse.
Her daughter, Anjelica, lamented having “lost two years” due to confinements and other restrictions.
Another protester assures that his father who died in the last few days has been identified as a victim of COVID-19, which he says is not true. “These are lies,” says Stéphane Bondu.
At his side, a man waved a huge flag in the colors of Donald Trump. In his eyes, the former American president represents the truth against “globalism”. “You don’t think the globalists are taking over?” Vito asked.
Also, a journalist from Rebel News, a far-right media known for its polemics, was refused access to the place of the rally.
Reference-www.journaldequebec.com