The Coalition Avenir Quebec is making its bid to win a PQ stronghold on the island of Montreal as it prepares for October's provincial election, but it's the same riding fervent separatist Jean-Martin Aussant is hoping to represent.
On Tuesday the CAQ presented Chantal Rouleau as its candidate for the riding of Pointe aux Trembles.
Rouleau was re-elected as the borough mayor of Riviere des Prairies-Pointe aux Trembles last year under the Team Denis Coderre banner, but said Tuesday she wants to use her skills on a larger project -- being an MNA.
The Pointe aux Trembles riding has been a Parti Quebecois stronghold for three decades and its current MNA is Nicole Leger who said in January that she would not run again.
However electoral projections based on recent polling show support for the PQ is weakening, and Philippe Fournier of Qc125.com said the CAQ has a strong chance of winning the PAT riding.
Meanwhile the Parti Quebecois has two contenders to become the nominee in the riding: language activist Maxime Laporte and former MNA Jean-Martin Aussant.
Aussant served as the MNA for Nicolet-Yamaska in 2008 until he quit the PQ in disgust over the party's failure to focus on independence.
He created a new party, Option Nationale, which failed to win a single seat in the 2012 election. Aussant then left for a financial job in the U.K., but it was his stirring eulogy at the funeral for Jacques Parizeau that convinced many Aussant should return to politics in Quebec.
Aussant did just that last week, confirming he would run for the PQ, preferably in a Montreal-area riding.
"It's not a question of first come first served," said Aussant, in reference to his first rival, Laporte.
Laporte launched his candidacy to become the riding's PQ candidate on Jan. 22, days after Leger announced she would no longer run.
Laporte has been the president of the Societé Saint Jean Baptiste since 2014.
