Montreal city councillor Craig Sauvé named NDP candidate for federal byelection in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun
Posted April 28, 2024 3:53 pm.
Last Updated April 28, 2024 4:14 pm.
Municipal councillor Craig Sauvé will run for the federal NDP in a byelection in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun.
Sauvé was named the party’s candidate Sunday afternoon. No other candidacy was received before the deadline.
“It’s a true privilege and honour to be the candidate for the NDP in LaSalle—Émard—Verdun,” said Sauvé in a news release. “I know that people are frustrated and want change. Nine years of Liberal inaction on housing has caused devastating effects in our community. People see it and live it.
“In this byelection, people will have a chance to send a clear message to Justin Trudeau that they are disappointed. They will have a chance to send someone to Ottawa who will fight to lower their costs instead of working for wealthy CEOs and developers. I am ready to fight for the people of LaSalle—Émard—Verdun.”
The riding was left vacant after Liberal David Lametti resigned Jan. 31, a few months after the former minister of justice was excluded from cabinet during a shuffle last summer. The government has a maximum of six months after the resignation of an MP to call a byelection.
Lametti won three consecutive elections since 2015, when the riding was created. In the last election, in 2021, he was re-elected with 42.9 per cent of the votes. The Bloc Québécois was second (22.1 per cent) and the NDP came third (19.4 per cent).
Federal NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh says having the 43-year-old Sauvé as a candidate represents “a golden opportunity” for their party.
“Craig is already a really well-known councillor in the riding and can present himself as a real option for the working classes, for workers and we can win,” Singh said in a video to supporters. “Together, we can build a better country. Together, we can build a better society.”
Sauvé has been a councillor in the Sud-Ouest since 2013. He does not intend to resign from his functions, but plans to take a sabbatical during the election period and donate his salary to neighbourhood charities during that time.
In 2021, he withdrew from the Projet Montréal caucus – the party of Mayor Valérie Plante – and has been sitting as an independent councillor since he was faced with allegations of sexual assault a few days before the municipal elections. He has always denied the allegations and notes a police investigation resulted in no charges. The alleged victim did not file a lawsuit.
–With files from La Presse Canadienne
