Unite4Change

What a rebel I am. See that title up there? I didn’t use spaces and I used the number 4 to represent the word four. I love to live dangerously like that. However, there is a reason I choose that title. Four federal by-elections are scheduled to occur on November 9th, to fill vacancies in the House of Commons. But who are the likely winners for these by-elections? Well, let me fill you in...

Dawn Black resigned from her seat of New Westminster-Coquitlam in April to run for a seat in the 39th provincial election of British Columbia (which she won by the way). The seat has been held by the New Democratic Party since the 2006 federal election, and since 2000 the popular vote for the NDP has consistently gone up from 15% nine years ago, to 42% last October, so our hopes of victory a month from now our realistic and not within imaginationland. Unfortunately, while we have done better every year, Conservatives have also been doing better, and while not in the recount close stage, there is potential for that to occur. Fin Donnelly, is the New Democratic candidate who is a councillor for the City of Coquitlam, and the executive director of the Rivershed Society of British Columbia. He is running against three candidates from the Liberal Party, the Conservative Party, and the Green Party respectively.

Long time MP Bill Casey resigned his seat from the House of Commons upon an appointment within the Government of Nova Scotia for a new job. While our chances for victory at first glance are relatively slim when looking at the 2008 election results, we have consistently come in second place quite far ahead of the third place candidate. Also, since our majority victory in the provincial election in June for Nova Scotia, hopes are high we might improve are results federally in the province. This November, Mark Austin will represent the New Democratic Party for Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley (and yes, I did spell that correctly!). He is a wild blueberry farmer, is a board member of Seeds of Survival, an environmental organization, and has roots in the Cumberland country since his birth.

Francois Lapointe is running to represent the fine constituents of Montmangy-L’Islet-Kamouraska-Riverie du-Loup in the House of Commons. Since the riding's creation of 2003, the NDP has risen from 1% support to 5%. While the chances of the Bloc winning the seat are high, we could cause some vote splitting and cause a Liberal victory. Although historically, very few people vote in by-elections and all we need is a large number of New Democrats to vote, and we could take it. Here's hoping! Lapointe is a long time environmentalist and is the President of Terra Terre Solutions, a green, non-profit organization, to provide energy alternatives for the great people of l'Islet.

Finally, the people of Hochelaga will go to the polls to elect a new Member of Parliament. The New Democratic Party of Canada has nominated Jean-Claude Rocheleau to fill this seat in the House of Commons. Since the riding's recreation in 2003, the NDP has consistently beaten the Conservative Party, but lost the seat. There is hope though, with the Bloc losing a very popular MP, there will be no favourite son, and in a very urban riding, the NDP does very well. Rocheleau has worked in the oil and gas sector for the past 30 years in Eastern Montreal, and has worked for many years with children suffering from Down syndrome. He is also the President of the NDP-Quebec section.

So in conclusion the NDP and the Liberal party will most likely win one seat each, with the Bloc gaining two seats. This will put the NDP back to 37 seats, the Liberals at 77, and the Bloc at 49. However, if all four seats were to elect New Democratic candidates, we would go up to 40 seats, our highest number since 1988.