September 16, 2024
LaSalle–Émard–Verdun September 16 Federal By-Election
By-Election Today
LaSalle–Émard–Verdun September 16 Federal By-Election
By-Election Today
According to newspaper reports, some 11,000 citizens in the electoral district of LaSalle–Émard–Verdun (LEV) have voted in advance polls. This is nearly 14 per cent of the total electorate comprised of 79,966 citizens. While media and pundits speculate on the outcome of the by-election, the citizens already know they will have no say in whatever comes next.
Polling stations are open from 9:30 am to 9:30 pm. The Montreal Gazette reports that Elections Canada predicts the counting of ballots will be completed by midnight “even though the ballots have 91 names – making them the physically longest in the history of federal elections. Many candidates are running to protest against Canada’s first-past-the-post electoral system.”
Reports indicate that Elections Canada has made provisions to accelerate the process of counting the ballots which in the previous federal by-election in Toronto–St. Paul’s was not completed until early the next morning. Counting of advance-poll ballots will begin four hours before polling stations close and additional staff have been hired to oversee the count, Elections Canada spokesperson Matthew McKenna said.
Mainstreet Research says its recent poll “reveals that the Bloc Québécois candidate is leading in voter intentions for the riding.” As if the serious views of the citizens in LEV are not already dismissed enough, one commentator is quoted saying that the Bloc may win because the riding is predominantly French-speaking! It is an indication of the low level to which political punditry has sunk. They have absolutely nothing to say about the matters of concern to Canadians and how they think they can be solved, but merely speculates about the outcome of elections which are run like horse races where people can place their bets and hope to win.
The poll shows 29.6 per cent support for Bloc candidate Louis-Philippe Sauvé. The Liberal Party of Canada candidate, Laura Palestini, is in second place with 24.1 per cent, and the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate, Craig Sauvé, has 23.0 per cent support. The Conservative Party of Canada candidate, Louis Lalenti, is trailing with 7.3 per cent. This is therefore spoken about as a “three-way race” – with national repercussions on the fate of the current Liberal government.
CTV News says that if voters on Wellington Street are any indication, “Team Trudeau could lose this riding for the first time since it was created.” CTV quotes voter Grayson Castelle saying, “Honestly, I have some pretty serious reservations, it feels like the party as a whole seems to be a mess.” Some voters say it’s time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to step down, CTV said. “I don’t think Canadians are too happy with his leadership,” said Brittany Lee.
It reports that Trudeau told CJAD 800 Radio host Aaron Rand that it’s a “moment of choice” about “the kind of country we want to have.” “Simple things like, are we going to choose to continue to fight climate change? Are we going to go backwards? Are we going to continue to stand up for minorities? Are we going to still continue to stand up for diversity? Or are we going to go backwards?,” he said. “Are we going to let wedge politics carry us through, or are we going to actually vote for our values?” He seemed to be preparing to throw in the towel, saying that voters on September 16 would be drawn to vote “by anger over elevated prices and a housing crisis.” This of course only reinforces the view of those who are calling for his resignation!
What is significant is that what goes for political reporting is all downhill from there, speculation about how Liberal insiders also want Trudeau to go, the NDP’s polling figures are plummeting and the Conservatives are set to win the next government. A closer look nowadays quickly reveals that the reporters and commentators are often Conservatives themselves!
For her part, senior pundit Chantal Hébert, who can always be relied on to give the overview of the ruling class, wrote:
“Both Justin Trudeau and Jagmeet Singh need to convince their respective troops that the next election campaign is not just a march to the slaughterhouse.
“In either case, the results of September 16 could lead to the fall of the minority Liberals in the next budget and to general elections in the spring.
“The New Democrats hope to wipe this pitiful slate clean on September 16. So far, all polls show that the Liberal descent into hell almost exclusively benefits Conservatives. The latter have several New Democratic seats in their sights. The NDP desperately needs a boost to turn the tide.
“The results of the two upcoming by-elections will not change the balance of power between the parties in the House of Commons. But they could have an effect on the political future of the Trudeau-Singh duo and on their partnership.”
And that, readers, is the official narrative from here on in. The members of the polity must rely on themselves to make sure their concerns are heard. The powers that be have absolutely no intention of making sure the people have a voice of their own.
The by-elections today in LEV and Elmwood–Transcona will underscore the fact that the demand of Canadians for the democratic renewal of the electoral law is the order of the day going forward.
(Quotations from Chantal Hébert translated from original French by TML.)
What Citizens Have to Say
In the last few days before the by-election in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun on September 16, people had more to say about the electoral system and the need for change than about the issue of choosing between the cartel parties. The promises, the marketing and the competitions that these parties engage in to win votes arouse disgust rather than interest.
Here are more comments collected by activists in their work on the streets and in front of the neighbourhood’s subway stations.
Regarding the Longest Ballot Project, an elderly woman said: “Frankly, I like this project. This group piqued my interest, it’s so innovative. I even think I’m going to run for them in the next election.”
Another commented on the media coverage which claims that long waits at the advance polls and probably on election day would be caused by the Longest Ballot Project with its 79 candidates. “Elections Canada has already had the experience of four elections of this type, including the one in Toronto–St. Paul’s in June. It’s not a surprise and there will surely be others! It’s about hiring more staff. The media doesn’t make such a fuss when there are waits at Costco or in certain stores or restaurants!”
An elderly man who was accompanied by a young man, seeing the name “Marxist-Leninist” on a leaflet, pointed at those words and said, “Yes, that’s what we need!”
At a subway station a passerby said: “Yes, that’s a good program. Do you plan to put an end to ‘fake news’ on the radio?” The activist replied: “We already do it the newspaper TML that you will find on the website listed on the candidate’s leaflet.” He took the leaflet and said, “You are doing great work. Thank you.”
Yet another person expressed surprise about the by-election: “This is news to me. Are there elections? I didn’t know that. I haven’t received anything at home and no one has come to knock on my door. What you are telling me is interesting in any case. We don’t know what to do with these elections. I will look at your project closely.”
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