124 out of 125: Liberals the only major Quebec party missing a candidate

Quebec Liberal Party Leader Dominique Anglade speaks at a youth conference during an election campaign stop in Montreal, Sept., Sept. 17, 2022. Quebecers will go to the polls on October 3rd. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes

The Quebec Liberal Party (QLP) is the only major provincial party missing a candidate ahead of the Oct. 3 election.

Dominique Anglade's party has candidates in 124 of Quebec's 125 ridings. The missing piece of the puzzle? Matane-Matapédia, a riding in the Bas-Saint-Laurent region over 600 km northeast of Montreal.

Anglade confirmed the news at a press scrum Saturday afternoon in Montreal.

She said the candidacy of Harley Lounsbury, who was intended to represent the Liberals in Matane-Matapédia, was refused by Quebec's chief electoral officer.

Calling the issue "unacceptable," Anglade said the matter is now in the hands of the party's legal team.

"We're going to have some serious conversations internally."

According to the latest polling data, the Liberals aren't poised to win in Matane-Matapédia, candidate or no candidate. In fact, the district is considered Parti Québécois's only "safe" riding in the province. 

The deadline to submit candidates to Elections Quebec was Saturday at 2 p.m.

With files from The Canadian Press.