DeSousa, James seeking nomination to replace Dion
Montreal city Coun. Alan DeSousa says he’s ready to make the jump into federal politics, eyeing the nomination for the federal riding of Saint-Laurent vacated last month by the departure from politics of former Liberal cabinet minister Stéphane Dion.
On Friday afternoon, former Quebec Liberal MNA Yolande James confirmed she is also running to be the candidate.
James’s aide said she would not be commenting on her decision Friday, but a formal announcement is likely to happen within the next 48 hours.
However, DeSousa said he thinks the fact he doesn’t need a parachute in order to make his leap simply works to his advantage.
“I would welcome other people (in a contest for the Liberal nomination). I would hope that the people who do manifest their interest live in the community,” he told the Montreal Gazette Friday morning.
“We’re not in the ’50s or ’60s where people can just come by and play tourist in the community ... we’re in 2017 and democracy means, public service means, you live (in) the community you serve.”
If that remark seems to reference James and Quebec businessman François Lambert, reportedly mulling a run at the nomination, it at least comes from someone who can claim they live in the riding, having done so for most of their life.
At 57, DeSousa has been mayor of St-Laurent borough (which corresponds to the borders of the federal riding) for nearly 16 years and was first elected to what was then the area’s municipal council in 1990.
As part of the administration of Montreal mayor Gérald Tremblay, he held a series of positions on the city’s executive committee including environment and finance.
Given a byelection hasn’t been called yet, nor has the Liberal nomination been decided, DeSousa will remain on Montreal city council for now and says Mayor Denis Coderre was supportive of his decision.
Université de Sherbrooke professor Marwah Rizqy, a specialist on tax havens, will also run for the candidacy in Saint-Laurent, Radio-Canada reported. She ran for the federal Liberals in 2015 in the Hochelaga riding.
James, who represented the West Island provincial riding of Nelligan, recently withdrew from her position as a pundit on the ICI RDI political talk show Les Ex and a contributor to CBC News in order to prepare for her candidacy, Radio-Canada reported.