Sylvie Lemieux eager for smart election campaign
I think there will be intelligent debates on a
of campaigning leading up to the election.
we speak of smart economy, and we speak of
gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
lot of issues. We (Greens) have an important
“I think we can have a smart election
true democracy. Those are three important
C UMBERLAND
message to share. We speak of community,
where people are not afraid to speak about
issues.”
the (real) issues,” she said. “I am not a slogan
Green Party candidate Sylvie Lemieux
The campaign
person. I am hoping we (Green Party) will
spent her first Sunday morning of the federal
have a chance to be strong on all our issues
election campaign on a door-knocking
of social justice, the economy, and the
session March 27 around her Cumberland
environment.”
for 78,000 votes begins
home neighbourhood.
Besides door-knocking, Lemieux also
“I can tell you one thing about the weather
spent a couple hours later in the afternoon
newsroom@eap.on.ca
Prime Minister Stephen Harper called the
today,” she said, smiling. “It’s cold.”
meeting with her campaign manager and
For the third time in five years,
election last Saturday.
But Lemieux is looking forward to the
volunteers to work out strategy for campaign
Glengarry-Prescott-Russell politicos are
Her theme is “Ensemble, nous pouvons
election fever heating up in the Glengarry-
sign posting and other promotion work.
preparing for a federal election campaign.
faire mieux – Together, we can do better!”
Prescott riding of incumbent Conservative
“Having run one previous election
Voters will be heading back to the polls
The Green Party will be represented by
MP Pierre Lemieux. She sees the GPR as
campaign helps you get prepared faster,”
May 2 following last week’s vote in the
Sylvie Lemieux, who also ran in 2008.
maybe proving another one of the swing
she said. “May 2, it will be a short election
House of Commons which saw the
The New Democratic Party was scheduled
ridings in Ontario that both the
season.”
Opposition parties present a vote of non-
to nominate a candidate this week.
Conservatives and the Liberals need to win
She noted that seeing a spring election
confidence, citing a Parliamentary
The candidates will be vying for the
if either one of the two major parties hope to
call comes as no real surprise for her.
committee ruling that the government was
support of the approximately 78,000 eligible
form the government after May 2 and one
“Naturally I’ve been looking at the ups
in contempt of Parliament.
voters in the riding that stretches from the
that occupies a large portion of the seats in
and downs, the fever of election,” she said,
Incumbent Conservative MP Pierre
eastern limits of Ottawa to the Québec border.
Parliament.
regarding the past tribulations for the
Lemieux, who has waged successful
In 2006, Lemieux became the first
“Ontario will decide if it is a minority or
government on Parliament Hill. “I thought
campaigns in 2006 and 2008, said last week
Conservative in 44 years to represent the
a majority government,” Lemieux said. “I
that a spring election would be a good
he was reluctant to hit the campaign trail
riding in the House of Commons. Progressive
think the West will vote (Conservative) like
winning case. Like most Canadians I thought
again.
Conservative Osie Villeneuve succeeded in
they did the last election. Québec, except for
Mr. Layton (NDP leader) had the election
“I hope that there is no election,” Lemieux
1957 Liberal MP Raymond Bruneau, who
a few places, is pretty much the Bloc
(choice) in hand. After the budget
said during a phone interview last week.
had been elected in 1953.
Québecois. I think the (election) game is in
announcement, I was not surprised to hear
“We are the government, we are happy
The Liberals’ winning string began in
Ontario.”
Mr. Layton say ‘I will not support this.’”
being the government, and Canadians are
1962, with the election of Viateur Éthier. He
With the NDP yet to announce a candidate
What did surprise Lemieux was that the
happy with us as the government. We see
was succeeded by his brother, Denis, in 1972.
in the riding, Sylvie Lemieux is the sole
government was brought down last Friday
that in the poll results.”
Éthier was succeeded in 1984 by Don
alternative choice for voters unwilling to
on an Opposition non-confidence motion on
But the Opposition believes that Prime
Boudria, who stepped down in 2006.
cast their ballots for either the Tories or the
a contempt of Parliament ruling by the
Minister Stephen Harper has been itching
Lemieux was elected in 2006 by a narrow
Grits. As a second-time Green candidate,
Speaker of the House and a Commons
for another election, claiming that the new
margin, getting 22,990 votes, or 41.6 per cent
she is looking forward to some intelligent,
committee. The proposed federal budget
budget was another sign that the Tories
of the popular vote, edging Liberal René
issue-oriented debates during the five weeks
never even came to a vote, though Opposition
were inflexible and did not want to make the
Berthiaume, who got 22,787, or 41.2 per cent
leaders had indicated their parties would
See
minority government work.
of the popular vote.
not support it, which would have meant an
Lemieux said he’s had positive comments
In the last election in 2008, the
automatic non-confidence vote.
Liberal uses the
from constituents during his two terms so
Conservative enjoyed a more comfortable
The Green Party candidate does think
far as MP for Glengarry-Prescott-Russell.
margin of victory. Lemieux polled 25,659, or
that this year’s federal election will see an
“People are happy with me as their MP.”
47.3 per cent of the popular vote, while
"L" word
increase in voter turnout.
Liberal candidate Julie Bourgeois began
Liberal candidate Dan Boudria got 19,997,
“Larger than the last election,” she said.
placing advertisements in papers before
or 36.9 per cent of the popular vote.
“I think people are looking at the long-term.
Page 9
How we will
cover the campaign
in his or her text and to offer a chance to the
Robert Savard
other candidates to react in the framework
Editor in Chief EAP
of a text.
We could have expected as much.
There will be no messages or letters to the
In Canada, a minority government never
editor from readers that will be published
lasts more than two years. The Conservative
between now and the May 2 election, if they
government of Stephen Harper could have
concern the election campaign. It is too easy
done better this time. Although a vast
for the organizations of candidates to write
majority of the population does not wish it,
an opinionated letter under a pseudonym.
we will have another chance to exercise our
In such a case, the opposing side would feel
democratic right when a federal election is
the obligation to reply, which would incite
held May 2.
an escalation of partisan political exchanges,
We do not intend to judge the
a situation we wish to avoid. Nevertheless,
performances of the current government or
it will not be forbidden for individuals to
our representatives in the House of
express their opinion. In such a case, people
Commons, but rather to explain the way the
would be invited to contact one of our
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journalists, who would publish the people’s
André Paquette (EAP) intend to handle the
comments in the framework of a text.
news during this short election campaign.
Invariably, the journalist will be held to
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