Nadeau-Dubois shies away from nationalist debate in re-election launch

Quebec Solidaire spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois formally announced his candidacy for October’s provincial election on Sunday.

Nadeau-Dubois, 27, will run in Gouin, the riding where he was first elected in a by-election two years ago. The former student leader, who became famous in the province during the 2012 Printemps Erable student strikes, won with 70 per cent of the vote.

His QS co-spokesperson Manon Masse said she believes he has a good shot at re-election.

“I’m pretty sure that he will win, because he still has the support of his community,” she said. “Remember, two years ago, he won by a very, very big gap.”

It’s a prediction echoed by political analyst Phillippe Fournier.

“(The 2016 percentage) was maybe too high because the Parti Quebecois didn’t present a candidate in the by-election, but even with the PQ and maybe even a New Democratic Party candidate, Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois should win easily in his riding,” he said.

Nadeau-Dubois said he’s not running on the assumption that he’s a sure thing.

“I’m taking absolutely nothing for granted,” he said. “I’m going to be on the ground, just like last time.”

While the party has just three seats in the National Assembly, Nadeau-Dubois said he’s confident that will change. He said the party plans to keep a distance from the divisive debates that have occupied the National Assembly this week after Finance Minister Carlos Leitao accused the Coalition Avenir Quebec of promoting Ethnic Nationalism.

“(CAQ leader Francois) Legault has put forward politics that I don’t find interesting and I don’t want to be involved in the semantic debate between Mr. Legault and Mr. Leitao,” said Nadeau-Dubois.

Fournier said QS could make some gains in Montreal, where the party’s voters are concentrated, if the party sticks to Nadeau-Dubois’ strategy.  

“If you look at the ridings where they have strong potential gains, Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, Rosemont, Gouin and Mercier, those ridings contain a fair number of non-Francophones and also minorities,” he said. “This is their constituents, this is their base.”