Montreal to hold byelection in December to fill 2 vacant seats
Voters in 2 boroughs will go back to the polls Dec. 16 to replace new MNAs Chantal Rouleau and Frantz Benjamin
Voters in two Montreal boroughs will go back to the polls on Dec. 16 to replace two city councillors who were elected to the National Assembly on Oct. 1.
MNA Chantal Rouleau, who has served as mayor of Rivière-des-Prairies–Pointe-aux-Trembles since 2010, now represents the Pointe-aux-Trembles riding for the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ). Rouleau is now the minister responsible for the greater Montreal region.
Over in Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension, Frantz Benjamin, city councillor for the electoral district of Saint-Michel since 2009, was elected Liberal MNA for Viau. He was sworn in Monday.
Rouleau and Benjamin were both members of Ensemble Montréal, former mayor Denis Coderre's political party which was renamed after Coderre's loss last year.
Two weeks ago, Mayor Valérie Plante described the impending byelection as an opportunity "to expand the political family" of her party, Projet Montréal.
Ensemble Montréal has lost seven of its 25 seats over the last year, including those held by Jean-François Parenteau, Hadrien Parizeau and Marie-Josée Parent, who left the caucus to sit on the executive committee.
With files from Radio-Canada