Decision 2012-Marquette, Marguerite-Bourgeoys, Verdun

By Tracey Arial, August 22nd, 2012

As week three began, candidates and their volunteers were distributing pamphlets door to door, phoning residents to ask their intentions, visiting local events to speak with participants, and greeting people at Metro stations and bus stops.
Major topics of conversation include the many debates being held this week and next. The general leadership debates are most popular, but undecided electors are also interested in discussing single issue debates, including the student discussion held by La Presse, the justice debate organized by the Barreau du Quebec and the health debate organized by the Quebec medical association.
Everyone wants to know about local candidate debates, including one in Marguerite-Bourgeoys during the Monday lunch hour and another in Verdun over the supper hour on Wednesday.
The debate in Marguerite-Bourgeoys will take place at CEGEP André Laurendeau on Monday, August 27 between 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. Participants include Robert Poëti for the Liberals, Jessica Riggi for the Parti Québecois, Michel Delisle for the Coalition Avenir de Québec, Yebo Romarick Okou for Québec Solidaire and Véronique Pelletier for Option Nationale. Richard Noël, who is running for the Green Party, won’t be participating because of a trip that was planned before the election was called. Yves Le Seigle, who is running for the Marxist Leninist party, wasn’t invited to participate. Issues likely to be raised include the local toxic waste site and the Turcot Interchange.
The debate in Verdun will be on Wednesday August 29 at La Casa C.A.F.I., 4741 Verdun Street. The three groups organizing the debate—the Citizen Action Committee (CACV), the Women’s Centre and the Immigrant information centre (Casa C.A.F.I.)—have invited only five of the eight candidates running in the riding. They are: Henri-François Gautrin, the Liberal incumbent in Verdun; Thierry St Cyr who is running for the Parti Québécois; André Besner, the Coalition Avenir de Québec candidate; Chantale Michaud, the Quebec Solidaire candidate; and Marc-Antoine Daneau, the Option Nationale candidate. Topics likely to be discussed include the school on Nun’s Island and a local dearth of social housing. Jeffrey Mackie, who is running for the Green Party; Eileen Studd, who is running for the Marxiste-Leniniste Party; and Philippe Refghi, who is running for the Québec Citizens' Union, were not invited to participate.
So far, no debate is being organized for the six candidates in Marquette: François Ouimet, the Liberal incumbent; Étienne Gougoux for the PQ; Victor Tan running for the Coalition Avenir de Québec; Claudelle Cyr for Québec Solidaire; John Symon for the Green Party and Patrick Valois for Option Nationale.