What the Montreal byelection results mean for the parties, the PM and the next election
CBC
The defeat of the Liberal candidate in the Montreal riding of Lasalle-Émard-Verdun continues a streak of bad news for the governing Liberals, coming just four months after the party's unexpected loss in another supposedly safe seat in Toronto.
Bloc Québécois candidate Louis-Philippe Sauvé beat the Liberals' Laura Palestini by 250 votes in the Lasalle-Émard-Verdun byelection Monday night. Voter turnout was a robust 40 per cent.
Here's what the results could mean for the main federal parties.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and several cabinet ministers said Tuesday the party needs to reflect on how to engage with voters following the party's narrow defeat in Lasalle-Émard-Verdun.
Voters' frustration with the prime minister has grown since he took office nine years ago. Liberal MP Alexandra Mendès has said some of her constituents are "very adamant" he should no longer be at the helm of the party.
Innovation, Science and Industries Minister François-Philippe Champagne said Tuesday morning that Liberals need to "show humility," take stock of the results and work to gain voters' trust.
"The Bloc won't be able to block the Conservatives," Champagne said. "If we want to maintain what we achieved for Quebec and for the rest of the nation over the last few years, we need to make sure they understand we're the best option for them."
Dismissing the suggestion that Trudeau may not be the best person to lead the party into the next election, Champagne said the prime minister embodies the optimism the country needs in the coming months.
"I think he's the best person to take us there," he said.
Immigration Minister Marc Miller, whose riding of Ville-Marie—Le Sud-Ouest—Île-des-Soeurs is close to Lasalle—Émard—Verdun, said he is "taking the loss quite personally" because he was confident the Liberals would win.
In June, Miller said the Liberals' defeat in Toronto St-Paul's shouldn't be minimized and "a lot of us have to step back, give our heads a shake, screw it on a little better. Stop the navel-gazing and get back on the horse and fight for Canadians."
Louis-Philippe Sauvé's surprise win brought the Bloc Québécois its thirty-third seat.
Bloc Leader Yves-François Blanchet told reporters Tuesday the results of the byelection "created a bridge" between his party and Montrealers.
The Bloc previously held only one riding on the island of Montreal, La Pointe-de-l'Île, a stronghold for the party.
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