LA POCATIERE - The Liberal Party of Quebec said has received the message after being edged out by the Parti Quebecois in a very close byelection in Kamouraska-Temiscouata Monday night.

"It's a reflection of what I think we see in public opinion in Quebec – that there's a lot of people that are very concerned and they're worried about all these allegations of collusion and corruption," said Premier Jean Charest, adding that he still hasn't agreed to a public inquiry.

Parti Quebecois candidate Andre Simard won the riding Monday with 196 votes more than his closest competitor, France Dionne.

The loss comes as a disappointment to Dionne, who represented the riding from 1985 to 1997, beginning a 25-year tradition of the Liberal party representing the area.

After Dionne, the riding was held by Claude Bechard who passed away from pancreatic cancer in September.

In the last election, in 2008, Bechard won by more votes than all his competitors put together.

The victory doesn't guarantee smooth sailing for the PQ, said Gazette political columnist Don Macpherson

"They should have done better than they did and this has been a problem for them under Marois's leadership; they haven't been able to take full advantage of the unpopularity of the Liberals. They've underperformed and they did that again on Monday," he said.

Bombardier contract not a factor

The Liberals had hoped the wave of discontent running through the province would not be on display in Kamouraska-Temiscouata, counting on the legacy of Bechard and the multi-billion-dollar contract recently handed to Bombardier-Alstom, a major employer in La Pocatiere.

The Liberal promise to retain the sparsely-populated riding against the wishes of the province's Chief Electoral Officer was also thought to be a factor.

However many voters, including those wearing Bombardier jackets, told CTV reporter Kai Nagata that the contract was not enough to counter the anger felt at the Liberal party's continuing refusal to hold a public inquiry into allegations of corruption and collusion in the construction industry.

Premier Jean Charest seemed to accept the loss Monday evening, saying he does not take it personally.

"It won't affect our legislative agenda. We'll continue. We're still focused very much on the economy and that's the agenda we offer Quebecers, and we are not going to be distracted even though our opposition, is, you know, in a constant personal attack mode. We're not going to be distracted by their tactics," said Charest.

Turnout high

Voter turnout for byelections is usually much lower than in general elections, but that was not the case Monday.

Nearly 58 per cent of voters cast their ballots in Kamouraska-Temiscouata, much more than the 29 per cent who voted in a Vachon byelection in July, or the 22 per cent who elected Jean-Marc Fournier in St. Laurent in September.

In the last general election in 2008, only 57.43 per cent of voters across the provinces bothered to cast ballots.

The final count:

  • Andre Simard of the Parti Quebecois: 7213 votes (36.85 percent), a 198-vote lead
  • France Dionne of the Liberal Party: 7017 votes (35.85 per cent)
  • Gerald Beaulieu of the Action Democratique du Quebec: 4509 (23.03 per cent)
  • Serge Proulx of Quebec Solidaire: 522 votes (2.67 per cent)
  • Frederic Brophy Nolan of the Green Party of Quebec: 314 votes (1.60 per cent)
  • Rejected ballots: 296


  • Voter turnout: 57.65 per cent
  • Registered electors: 34,470

With files from The Canadian Press