Meet the candidates: Federal byelection in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount June 19
Posted June 8, 2023 9:57 am.
Last Updated June 8, 2023 6:33 pm.
The race is on for the vacant seat in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount federal byelection set for June 19.
The riding is a Liberal stronghold and is now up for grabs after former cabinet minister Marc Garneau resigned several months ago.
He won the last three elections with more than 50 per cent of the vote.
READ: Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount byelection set for June 19
How to vote?
If you’re registered to vote, you should receive a voter information card in the mail by June 3, giving you the location of your polling station.
Election Day is Monday, June 19, when local polling stations will be open from 9:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
But if you can’t make it on that day, you can vote at your polling station on advance polling days from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Friday, June 9
- Saturday, June 10
- Sunday, June 11
- Monday, June 12
You can also vote at NDG-Westmount’s Elections Canada office anytime up to June 13 at 6 p.m., which would be a vote by special ballot.
Voting by special ballot through mail is also possible by applying online.
Who are the candidates?
The New Democratic Party of Canada’s Jean-François Filion (Facebook, Jean-François Filion)
Jean-François Filion (NDP)
Jean-François Filion has been teaching English for more than 20 years.
The NDP’s website says “he advocates passionately to ensure that his students and all young people have access to quality education and affordable housing.”
He earned his Bachelor’s degrees from Concordia in translation and English as a second language (ESL). Filion lives in the riding and teaches hundreds of students there.
“He’s ready to fight hard to ensure that everyone has a safe and affordable place to call home. He knows that we must tackle the climate crisis like we actually want to win by investing in public transit, home retrofits, clean technology and support for good, sustainable jobs,” the NDP says.
Laurence Massey (BQ)
The Bloc Québécois’ Laurence Massey. (Facebook, Laurence Massey)
Laurence Massey is a 25-year-old graduate student in Indigenous studies and digital communications practitioner, with years of political activism. Massey ran for the BQ in Saint-Léonard—Saint-Michel in 2021.
On Facebook, she describes herself as an author who is proudly Quebecois, a sovereigntist and feminist.
In a press release, the BQ said she is “committed to the cause of Quebec and to the preservation of its language, and sensitive to issues relating to equality, the environment and the autonomy of nations, she wishes to bring these issues to the public debate throughout the byelection.”
“Laurence represents exactly the kind of candidacy that breaks the myth that young people are not interested in politics and abandon the independence movement,” said Bloc leader Yves-François Blanchet.
Jonathan Pedneault (Green Party)
The Green Party of Canada’s Jonathan Pedneault. (Courtesy: greenparty.ca)
The new co-leader of the Green Party, Jonathan Pedneault, will be vying for the vacant seat in NDG-Westmount.
The 33-year-old was a journalist and then worked for the Canadian chapter of Human Rights Watch.
“Born in Longueuil in 1990, Jonathan has dedicated his life to documenting and denouncing human rights violations and social inequalities in many conflict zones around the world,” the Green Party’s website says.
Anna Gainey (Liberal Party)
The Liberal Party of Canada’s Anna Gainey. (Facebook, Anna Gainey)
Anna Gainey is the former president of the Liberal Party of Canada between 2014 and 2018.
“Anna is a dedicated Notre-Dame-de-Grâce—Westmount community leader who knows what it takes to fight for our priorities in Ottawa,” said the Liberal Party’s website.
She served as a policy advisor to two ministers of national defence and veterans affairs. Most recently, she has been executive chair of Canada 2020, a progressive think tank.
“For more than two decades, she’s been a proven champion for progressive values in government, public policy, and our democracy,” the Liberals say.
Matthew Kaminski (Conservatives)
The Conservative Party of Canada’s Matthew Kaminski. (Facebook, Matthew Kaminski)
Pierre Poilievre’s Conservatives are counting on Matthew Kaminski, a young accountant who grew up in Montreal and active member of the party since his teenage years.
“He has been a Conservative his entire life and became involved in the Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Westmount riding at the age of 16 years old,” their website says.
Kaminski is a CPA and has work experience in Public Audit and Institutional investment accounting.
The Conservatives say his priority is to go door-to-door meeting with constituents.
“He is a fiscal Conservative that prioritizes transparency and accountability.”
