MONTREAL

Former Quebec Solidaire candidates want a woman to run in Jean Talon byelection

Thomas Laberge

Published Wednesday, July 26, 2023 6:47AM EDT Last Updated Wednesday, July 26, 2023 2:45PM EDT

Solidaire member Olivier Bolduc wants to run in the Jean-Talon riding after CAQ MNA Joelle Boutin stepped down. PHOTO PC/Thomas Laberge

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Olivier Bolduc's candidacy for the Jean-Talon nomination continues to cause a stir within Quebec Solidaire (QS).

A letter signed by former candidates and male QS members is asking members of the riding to choose a woman to represent the party in the forthcoming by-election.

"We, the signatories of this letter, while recognizing the democratic right of the members of the riding of Jean-Talon to choose their candidate [...] fervently hope that these members understand the importance of parity and choose a candidate who identifies with the female gender in order to offer Quebec a new Solidaire MNA," reads the letter, a copy of which was obtained by La Presse Canadienne.

Since Olivier Bolduc announced on Monday that he would be seeking the nomination in Jean-Talon, several voices within the party - including QS president Nicolas Chatel-Launay and several former candidates - have been raised to encourage members in the riding to choose a woman to represent the party instead.

READ MORE: CAQ member Joelle Boutin quits politics, setting stage for byelection faceoff with PQ

However, the 10 signatories of the letter are not asking Olivier Bolduc to withdraw his candidacy.

"The purpose of this initiative is not to devalue the qualities of male candidates, and even less so that of Olivier Bolduc, who has already announced his intentions," they state.

"We also fervently hope that Olivier will use his recognized credibility in Jean-Talon to ensure the victory of a Solidaire candidate if she is nominated," the letter adds.

For the moment, Bolduc is the only candidate officially declared for the QS nomination.

The instigator of the letter, former Solidaire candidate in Maskinongé in 2018 and 2022, Simon Piotte, maintains that the place of women in the party is also a matter for men.

"We agree that we have a role to play as men to ensure the parity that is dear to us at QS at the deputy level," he said in an interview with The Canadian Press.

There are currently four women and eight men in the QS caucus at the National Assembly.

It was a man, Guillaume Cliche-Rivard, who was elected in the byelection in Saint-Henri-Sainte-Anne last March.

At its national council last February, the party voted in favour of a proposal to put in place means of imposing female candidates in future elections.

Asked whether Bolduc had been too quick to announce his candidacy, Piotte replied: "I can tell you that I would not have acted in the same way [...] I would have let the women announce their candidacy, and I would have made my decision afterwards".

Bolduc said on Tuesday that it was "out of the question" for him to give up his seat.

Candidates for the Solidaire nomination have until July 29 to submit their applications. The nomination meeting will take place on Aug. 6.

This is when the candidate who will represent QS in Jean-Talon in the by-election will be announced.

The other political parties have not yet announced their candidates.

The Jean-Talon byelection is due to be held within six months.

Signatories to the letter: