Trudeau Reacts to Loss of Montreal Liberal Stronghold in Byelection

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrives to talk to reporters at the Ukraine peace summit media centre at the Burgenstock Resort in Obburgen, Switzerland, on June 16, 2024. The Canadian Press/Sean Kilpatrick

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau reacted to his party losing another stronghold riding in a byelection on Sept. 16, saying his government needs to stay focused on its current path.

“Obviously, it would have been nicer to be able to win and hold Verdun, but there’s more work to do, and we’re going to stay focused on doing it,” Trudeau told reporters in Ottawa on Sept. 17.

The prime minister did not comment on what he thought went wrong for the Liberals in Lasalle-Émard-Verdun, only saying there’s “all sorts of reflections to take on that.”

“The big thing is to make sure that Canadians understand that the choice they get to make in the next election, about the kind of country we are really matters, and that’s the work we’re going to continue to do,” he said.

Former justice minister David Lametti had won Lasalle-Émard-Verdun with 42.9 percent of the vote in 2021, and had represented the riding since 2015. The seat became vacant after he left politics in January.

According to preliminary results for the byelection, the Liberals obtained 27.2 percent of the vote, coming in second place to the Bloc Québécois at 28 percent. The NDP was a close third with 26.1 percent.

The Liberal loss in Lasalle-Émard-Verdun follows another defeat in the Toronto-St.Paul’s riding in June, this time to the Conservatives. Liberals had held the riding since 1993.

Trudeau said he would stay on as leader after losing in Toronto, and said last week he would not resign if his party lost in Montreal.

Liberal ministers expressed disappointment about the loss in Lasalle-Émard-Verdun but said they still support Trudeau. Many of them said they need to double-down or work harder for Canadians to turn the tide.

“This is not a moment to let down. It’s rather a moment to double-down,” Industry Ministre François-Philippe Champagne told reporters before a cabinet meeting on Sept. 17.

Champagne backed Trudeau’s leadership, saying the country “needs a good dose of optimism.”

“If there’s someone who can inspire optimism across the country, it’s certainly Mr. Trudeau,” he said.

Treasury Board President Anita Anand said her government would do what it needs to and “keep going.”

Immigration Minister Marc Miller, a Montreal MP who participated in the byelection campaign, said he took the loss “quite personally.”

In explaining the byelection loss, Miller said Canadians are feeling a “sort of wear” regarding the Liberals.

The Liberals’ share of the vote also decreased in the other Sept. 16 byelection in the Winnipeg riding of Elmwood-Transcona, where they obtained 4.8 percent of the vote compared to 14.7 percent in 2021.

The riding has been an NDP stronghold and remained in the party’s hand. The NDP bested the Conservatives by 1,158 votes, or 4.1 percent of the vote share.