Former Montreal mayoral candidate Balarama Holness promises new multicultural provincial party
Former candidate for Montreal mayor Balarama Holness is dipping his toe into provincial politics with the creation of a new party, Mouvement Québec.
He is expected to make an official announcement at the National Assembly Wednesday at 12 p.m.
"We want to be the party that represents all Quebecers, and particularly Montrealers, that feel like they have no representation at the National Assembly," he told CTV News.
His main focus: the economy, environment, housing and challenging "the elephant in the room" -- Bill 96, Quebec's revamped language law, and Bill 21, the province's secularism law.
"We're not targetting a specific party or a specific issue," Holness said. "It's that Montrealers say there's no political party that represents ethnic or linguistic minorities."
He says his plan is to go up against the governing Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) on its "mismanagement of the pandemic," as well as the Quebec Liberals (PLQ) for "overall lack of leadership."
"Mouvement Québec has to earn every vote and I think the Liberal government may have taken a lot of Montrealers for granted since its inception," Holness told CTV News. "And now they're going to have to earn votes."
LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: Balarama Holness gives his first live interview after announcing his new provincial political party
His focus, he says, is on garnering votes in the Greater Montreal area.
"What we're saying is very clear: a strong Montreal will strengthen the regions," he said when asked if he's worried about whether or not he'll be able to convince Quebecers across the province to vote for his party.
Despite receiving several racist and threatening messages during the 2021 Montreal municipal election, Holness, a former Montreal Alouette and activist, says he's "not concerned at all" about the kind of reception a multicultural, multilingual party may get province-wide.
Though the 38-year-old is stepping away from municipal politics, he says party Mouvement Montréal is in good hands and will announce an interim leader shortly.
"The municipal election was a tremendous success for us," he said. "We mobilized Montrealers and spoke to issues they care about. It's important to us to continue that movement."
LISTEN ON CJAD 800 RADIO: MULCAIR: reaction to Holness, masks on flights and consultations for new police chief
Mouvement Montréal finished third place with seven per cent of the vote in the 2021 municipal election.
Holness points out the goal was always to create a "multi-tiered" political movement -- and that's why he's heading to Quebec City.
The provincial election in Quebec is slated for Oct. 3.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
India's foreign minister reacts to murder charges, claims Canada welcomes criminals
India's Foreign Affairs Minister accused Canada of welcoming criminals from his country in response to the RCMP's recent arrests in a homicide that has roiled tensions between the two countries.
15-year-old boy stabbed in Ottawa on Thursday dies
A 15-year old boy who was critically injured after a stabbing in Nepean on Thursday has died of his injuries, Ottawa's English public school board said Sunday.
Dash cam catches moment suspected drunk driver hits parked car, sends it careening into North Shore flower shop
Police say it’s fortunate no one was injured or killed in a collision at North Vancouver’s Park and Tilford shopping centre Saturday evening that sent one vehicle careening into a flower shop and another into a set of concrete barriers outside a Winners store.
Actor Bernard Hill, of 'Titanic' and 'Lord of the Rings,' has died at 79
Actor Bernard Hill, who delivered a rousing cry before leading his people into battle in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King' and went down with the ship as the captain in 'Titanic,' has died.
'A tiny city:' Pro-Palestinian campus protesters organize for another week
Pro-Palestinian activists have set up tents at universities in Toronto, Ottawa, Vancouver and Montreal, following a wave of similar protests at campuses in the United States linked to the Israel-Hamas war.
Lawsuit against Meta asks if Facebook users have right to control their feeds using external tools
Do social media users have the right to control what they see — or don't see — on their feeds?
A Holocaust survivor will mark that history differently after the horrors of Oct. 7
This year's Holocaust Remembrance Day, which begins on Sunday evening in Israel, carries a heavier weight than usual for many Jews around the world.
Princess Anne lays wreath at Battle of Atlantic ceremony; honours late Queen
Princess Anne saluted Canadian veterans and current forces members and honoured her late mother during separate ceremonies Sunday in Victoria as she wrapped up a three-day British Columbia West Coast royal visit.
El Nino weakening doesn't mean cooler temperatures this summer, forecasters say
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.