Brian Jenkins

Quebecers will be heading to the polls this September 4th.

In a previous blog, Quebec Life Coalition President, Mr. Georges Buscemi, outlined four key questions that electors should ask their local candidates to help them decide for whom to vote.

In an effort to help you identify your local candidates, I have brought the following resources together.

1. The Director General of the Elections (DGEQ)  A good starting point is the website of the Director General of the Elections. This will allow you to identify your riding, by simply inputing your postal code.

Second, knowing your riding, you can then access a handy table, click here, to learn more about your riding including who the candidates are.

If you wish to contact the DGEQ, their toll-free number is 1-888-353-2846.

2. Go for a Walk.  A second way to learn who the local candidates are is to go for a walk. This past Saturday, while doing errands, I noticed that the Liberal Party of Quebec had already hoisted several campaign signs containing the picture and name of their local candidate.

3. Contact the Parties: Finally, as political parties and candidates have until August 18th to submit their candidature, a third way to learn who your local candidates are is to contact the parties directly. Here are the contacts for the major parties:

1. Liberal Party of Quebec:1-800-361-1047;
2. Parti Québecois: 1-800-363-9531;
3. Québec solidaire: 1-866-278-9014;
4. Coalition Avenir du Québec: 1-866-416-2960;
5. Conservative Party of Quebec: (514) 433-0500;
6. Unité Nationale Party: (819) 731-3296; and
7. Objectif Vie Québec Party: (remains unlisted)

Case Study: Riding of St. Laurent

As electoral boundaries are prone to shifting, it may be prudent to check with the DGEQ. Here, on entering my postal code, I was immediately told what I expected; that my riding is St-Laurent.

While on with this site, I then sought out to learn who my candidates were. Unfortunately, I came away no wiser. None of the parties had yet registered.

I then decided to contact individually the various parties. Above noted above, I had seen electoral signs for the local liberal candidate - Mr. Jean-Marc Fournier.

As for the Parti Québecois, the Québec solidaire, and CAQ candidates, I phoned and emailed these to find answers.

• PQ: Mr. Roger Gagnon;
• QS: Ms. Marie-Josèphe Pigeon - (514) 743-8343;
• CAQ: Mr. Georges Manolikakis

The remaining two parties have yet to nominate a candidate.

Next week, I will report on what success I have had in contacting the individual candidates and what response they have given regarding the four pivotal questions.