NDP storms Liberal stronghold
NDP storms Liberal stronghold
Dippers rejoice in Outremont by-election
• antonio di domizio
For the last 75 years, the Liberal stronghold of Outremont voted Liberal all but once. Even at the height of the sponsorship scandal, Jean Lapierre held off all opponents.
Monday night, Thomas Mulcair and the NDP stormed “Fortress Outremont” and the riding is now NDP territory. At McGill University, Mulcair promised the “Ground Zero of the Orange Revolution.” On Monday night, he delivered.
The NDP scored the upset with a resounding 49% of the vote. The Liberals came in second with a dismal 28%. (that was at time of press.)
Both political machines were buzzing at different speeds Monday with over 500 volunteers helping out Mulcair while the mood in the Liberal headquarters was rather sombre as many knew defeat was most likely.
The Outremont by-election has mostly been fought on two issues: the environment and the war in Afghanistan.
Layton addressed the NDP's position on both topics lucidly at McGill last Friday. He said that after thirteen years of Liberal inaction, only the NDP act on the environment, and cut the $1.2 billion subsidy to the Canadian oilsands. Mulcair's experience as the provincial environment minister has won him support across party lines and helped him pull out the victory Monday.
The anti-war sentiment in Montreal also helped Mulcair at the polls. On Afghanistan, Layton reiterated the NDP's controversial position of an immediate withdrawal of Canadian soldiers from Kandahar province. “There is less security right now in Afghanistan than there was before Canadian soldiers got there,” said Layton. He also stated that if “Canada is going to play a leadership role in making the peace in Afghanistan, we have to stop fighting.”
The Liberal campaign has been marked by panic and infighting that has become not only public, but increasingly ugly. Over the weekend, a Liberal insider claimed former Ignatieff supporters were “sabotaging” Liberal chances in the riding. Organizers in the riding dispute that. Overall, it dampened the enthusiasm throughout the campaign.
With the crushing results coming in, many dejected Liberals listened to leader Stephane Dion console his troops. “We must rejoice that federalist parties progressed tonight. We will bounce back together.” Federalist parties won two of the three by-elections contested Monday with the Conservatives taking Roberval-Lac St. Jean and the Bloc Quebecois holding on to Saint-Hyacinthe Bagot.
Dippers rejoice in Outremont by-election
• antonio di domizio
For the last 75 years, the Liberal stronghold of Outremont voted Liberal all but once. Even at the height of the sponsorship scandal, Jean Lapierre held off all opponents.
Monday night, Thomas Mulcair and the NDP stormed “Fortress Outremont” and the riding is now NDP territory. At McGill University, Mulcair promised the “Ground Zero of the Orange Revolution.” On Monday night, he delivered.
The NDP scored the upset with a resounding 49% of the vote. The Liberals came in second with a dismal 28%. (that was at time of press.)
Both political machines were buzzing at different speeds Monday with over 500 volunteers helping out Mulcair while the mood in the Liberal headquarters was rather sombre as many knew defeat was most likely.
The Outremont by-election has mostly been fought on two issues: the environment and the war in Afghanistan.
Layton addressed the NDP's position on both topics lucidly at McGill last Friday. He said that after thirteen years of Liberal inaction, only the NDP act on the environment, and cut the $1.2 billion subsidy to the Canadian oilsands. Mulcair's experience as the provincial environment minister has won him support across party lines and helped him pull out the victory Monday.
The anti-war sentiment in Montreal also helped Mulcair at the polls. On Afghanistan, Layton reiterated the NDP's controversial position of an immediate withdrawal of Canadian soldiers from Kandahar province. “There is less security right now in Afghanistan than there was before Canadian soldiers got there,” said Layton. He also stated that if “Canada is going to play a leadership role in making the peace in Afghanistan, we have to stop fighting.”
The Liberal campaign has been marked by panic and infighting that has become not only public, but increasingly ugly. Over the weekend, a Liberal insider claimed former Ignatieff supporters were “sabotaging” Liberal chances in the riding. Organizers in the riding dispute that. Overall, it dampened the enthusiasm throughout the campaign.
With the crushing results coming in, many dejected Liberals listened to leader Stephane Dion console his troops. “We must rejoice that federalist parties progressed tonight. We will bounce back together.” Federalist parties won two of the three by-elections contested Monday with the Conservatives taking Roberval-Lac St. Jean and the Bloc Quebecois holding on to Saint-Hyacinthe Bagot.
par / by Anthony à / at 1:15 a.m.
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