Montreal-area NDP MP not running again
Helene Laverdiere defeated Bloc leader twice
Helene Laverdiere, a self-described “accidental” NDP MP who defeated Gilles Duceppe in both the 2011 and 2015 elections, has announced she won’t run again next year.
She surprised political pundits by first beating Duceppe in the Montreal riding of LaurierSainte-Marie when he was Bloc Quebecois leader in 2011.
Laverdiere, 63, admits that even she was a bit surprised when she grabbed more than 46 per cent of the vote that year to oust Duceppe, who had held the riding since 1990.
“To be honest, in 2011, when I agreed to run for the NDP, I didn’t really expect to be elected,” she said in an interview with The Canadian Press on Monday.
“My objective was to make the NDP better known in the riding where I live.”
Duceppe was blunt when asked about Laverdiere’s decision to not seek re-election.
“I have nothing to say about that, it’s her choice,” he said Monday when contacted by The Canadian Press.
Laverdiere said she was helped in 2011 by the so-called “Orange Wave” which saw the Jack Layton-led party win nearly 60 of the 75 seats in Quebec.
The New Democrats vaulted over both the Liberals and the Bloc Quebecois to form the official Opposition for the first time in its history.
“To some extent, I’m an accidental MP,” she said. “It’s been a very happy accident for me because I’ve really enjoyed being an MP.”
Laverdiere credited hard work for her repeat performance in 2015.
“I spent a bit over four years doing my work as best as I could and people seemed to be happy with what I did and re-elected me in 2015,” she said.