Small but mighty:

Third place Quebec Solidaire a big winner Monday night, despite CAQ sweep

When it comes to talking about Monday night’s election results in Sherbrooke, context matters. In late March Quebec Solidaire, which had three seats in the National Assembly, kicked off a series of rallies that made up the base of its pre-electoral campaign in Sherbrooke, identifying the riding as a hill on which it meant to plant its flag. The three other rallies took place in Montreal, Quebec City, and Rouyn-noranda: all places where the party ended up gaining seats.

In total the party, which had previously only seen an elected presence on the Island of Montreal, picked up seven new seats, including the one now filled by Christine Labrie in Sherbrooke. Ten seats still leaves Quebec Solidaire without official party status, and far behind the seat count of the second-place Liberals, but for the crowd of candidates and party supporters that gathered at Boquébiere on Wellington Street there was good reason to celebrate.

Although Labrie said that she and local party supporters worked hard for their win, she admitted that even she was surprised to have won so clearly in a situation where she was up against a well-established and well-liked cabinet minister like Luc Fortin.

“We are very, very proud of the work we have done since day one,” the newly elected MNA said shortly after her victory speech on Monday night, adding that she was really touched by how the people of Sherbrooke got behind the mission of Quebec Solidaire. She acknowledged the good work of her predecessor for the riding, but said that he was carrying the torch of a government that lost the favour of the people. “I am

ready to stand up for you in the National Assembly,” she continued.

Aside from popular frustration with the Liberal Government, Labrie attributed her success to a mobilization among people looking for a new approach to politics and said that she hopes those same people will remain active in the months and years to come.

Inside the bar the atmosphere was nothing short of raucous, but just a step outside the doors brought one back to the reality of the situation. In terms of policy and approach, there is no mainline provincial party that is more opposite the CAQ than Quebec Solidaire, and QS supporters who had stepped out into the night clearly felt that as they made calls to friends in other places, making declarations that were at once celebrations of their party’s gains and disbelief at the quick and decisive way that their opponent swept the field

Labrie was not blind to the challenges she faces as a QS MNA surrounded by members of a majority government, but she expressed openness to working on local matters with other local representatives as the situation arises.

“We have always collaborated with governments that proposed changes for the benefit of the population, and we will continue to do that,” she said.

The QS representative also said that he is ready to stand her ground when needed and to remind the CAQ of their campaign commitment to electoral reform.

“I can stand up for Sherbrooke, even when surrounded by Caqistes,” Labrie said.