With a federal election and uncertain results just days away, the citizens of Montreal North had a rare opportunity to directly question three candidates during a public debate organized by the Table de quartier. Housing, health, immigration, and women's rights were among the topics discussed during this political evening fueled by local issues. Report.
It is 6 p.m. at the Maison culturelle et communautaire de Montréal-Nord, and the atmosphere is both studious and warm. While the Table de quartier team is busy with last-minute preparations, people chat around the buffet. “I hope it will be interesting. I came to see what the candidates have to offer for our neighborhood and for Montreal,” says Hélène, a resident who recently moved a few streets away.
Shortly thereafter, the participants—about 20 people—take their seats in the room. Facing the audience, three candidates take the stage: Jency Mercier for the Bloc Québécois, Abdelhaq Sari for the Liberal Party, and Catherine Gauvin for the New Democratic Party. Behind them and the large windows, children play in the nearby park under the last rays of the day's sun. It is a scene that contrasts sharply with the political concerns of their elders inside.
The audience includes attentive citizens and several local elected officials, but mostly representatives of community organizations in the neighborhood. They have all come to hear what the aspiring members of the House of Commons have to offer in terms of dealing with a reality that is too often marginalized in election campaigns: that of disadvantaged neighborhoods.
“A few weeks ago, our board of directors asked us if we could contribute to democracy by organizing this debate,” said the director of the neighbourhood roundtable before handing over to the moderator. The absence of the Conservative Party and the Green Party was noted—Conservative candidate Néhémie Dumay withdrew the day before, and Green candidate Émile Jetzer did not respond to the invitation.
Micherose Philosca then launched the debate on the first of nine topics selected by the neighborhood roundtable. The principle was simple: each candidate had two minutes to present their proposals.
Seniors under pressure from inflation
The issue of the cost of living quickly took center stage. When asked about the tax measures being considered to support seniors, Jency Mercier said that the Bloc Québécois wants to “increase old age pensions by 10% so that seniors don't have to struggle to make ends meet.” This measure would apply to all age groups and would help put an end to what the candidate calls “two-tiered aging.”
Abdelhaq Sari, for his part, recalled the measures proposed by the Liberals to mitigate the effects of inflation, citing “a reduction in the tax rate for low incomes” and the continuation of the Guaranteed Income Supplement. The city councilor insisted on the need for a “strong government capable of addressing the root causes of this crisis,” such as the tax war.
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Catherine Gauvin argues that the NDP has been present “throughout the pandemic to defend workers, seniors, and vulnerable people,” asserting that these values of solidarity are “in the party's DNA.” The left-wing party plans to raise taxes on the wealthiest to ease the tax burden on lower-income households.
The housing crisis at the heart of concerns
The debate then moved on to the housing crisis, a hot topic in this borough where more than 35% of households live below the poverty line. Ms. Philosca also pointed out that Montreal North has a vacancy rate of just 0.4%, and that this housing shortage is driving up rents, while 71.6% of households are renters.
Jency Mercier, the Bloc candidate who lives in Verdun, argues for greater provincial autonomy in housing management. “The Bloc wants federal funds to be transferred to Quebec without conditions,” she says, lamenting the fact that some buildings are left abandoned and unoccupied, “with boards on the windows.” For her, it is necessary to “take part of the rental market out of the capitalist system” and facilitate the transfer of federal land at low prices.
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For Abdelhaq Sari, liberal candidate and city councilor in Montreal North since 2017, the response must be tailored to the local context. “We can't have a one-size-fits-all approach for all of Canada. The realities are different from one neighbourhood to another,” he explains, adding that the priority should be ‘increasing the supply of affordable housing’ where the needs are most pressing. He assures that the Liberal Party has a $25 billion plan for housing. However, upon verification, this amount is actually earmarked for “funding for innovative prefabricated home builders in Canada” and not for affordable housing.
For her part, the New Democratic Party candidate recalls her own childhood in a single-parent family. “The cost of rent is appalling. My mother is in a co-op, and it saved her,” says Catherine Gauvin. The NDP promises to create 120,000 social housing units, regulate rents, fight against renovictions, and use federal land exclusively for community or cooperative social housing projects.
In two minutes, the candidates don't have time to say much more, but the topic of housing comes up several times during the evening, particularly when talking about immigration.
Immigration: between dignity and shared responsibilities
The increase in the number of asylum seekers arriving from the United States and fleeing deportation under the Trump administration was one of the most dominant topics of the election campaign. Unsurprisingly, immigration management was the subject of heated debate on Wednesday evening.
“One of the few shelters for asylum seekers is closing due to lack of funding. How does the federal government plan to support Quebec in welcoming asylum seekers with dignity?” asked the moderator. Montreal North welcomes many newcomers, while the community organizations that help them struggle every year to survive.
For Mr. Sari, who pointed out that he himself is an immigrant who arrived from Morocco in 2002, this is a matter of dignity. “Immigration is not a one-time event. It's not just about welcoming people, but also about having the capacity to welcome them with dignity. However, once the person is on our territory, it is our organizations, our cities, and our provinces that will take care of them, so we all need to work together.” He called for permanent funding for aid organizations and a reduction in the processing time for asylum applications.
Catherine Gauvin then announced that the New Democrats are committing to transfer $100 million from the federal government to the province to support the province in welcoming immigrants by funding organizations based on their mission rather than on specific projects. “We have to stop spreading funds thinly,” said the candidate.
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Ms. Mercier, for her part, mentioned the saturation of services and insisted on the need to “respect our capacity.” She believes that “Quebec has taken in a lot of people recently, without always having the necessary resources to do so properly.” She added that the Bloc is demanding unconditional transfers so that Quebec's autonomy is respected.
Unsurprisingly, the candidates remain in line with their respective parties and sometimes have difficulty relating their answers to the specific situation in Montreal North. This prompts the audience to take advantage of the question period that follows.
Residents call for concrete proposals
After several other issues such as violence against women, youth and health were addressed, members of the public were invited to ask the three candidates questions. Local concerns were at the heart of citizens' questions.
When asked about their priorities for the Bourassa riding, the three candidates converged on housing. Abdelhaq Sari added welcoming immigrants and supporting seniors to his priorities. Catherine Gauvin mentioned the environment and health.
With several members of community organizations in the audience, the issue of funding for their organizations was naturally raised, with the example of cuts to subsidies for organizations specializing in employability. The Bloc Québécois candidate, like the New Democrat, pledged to restore these funds and establish sustainable funding for community organizations. The Liberal candidate called for sustainable and structural funding.
But the candidates' responses, which deserve credit for participating in the exercise unlike their counterparts from the Green Party and the Conservative Party, were not always convincing. “I asked when they planned to build their social housing! Because we always hear nice speeches, but nothing concrete,” says Sylvie, a 61-year-old resident of Montreal North. The retiree denounces promises that come up every election and are never kept: ”They've known about our housing problems for a long time, but they haven't built anything in years, and we're still waiting!”
For Sylvie, this debate will not influence her when she casts her ballot: the 60-year-old already knows who she is going to vote for, “in keeping with family tradition.” Like her, many others have made the trip primarily to support one of the candidates.
The candidates are trying to convince young people, who represent 15% of the population of Montreal North, not to abstain from voting. “You shouldn't vote for a party or a person, but for your future. If you don't take an interest in politics, politics will take an interest in you,” says Abdelhaq Sari with a sense of rhetoric that is met with applause. The NDP is proposing to cap internet subscription fees and limit interest rates on student loans, a commitment that was met with some laughter in the room, proof that the proposal did not entirely convince, even though the candidate was the only one to make concrete proposals for young people.
A difficult but necessary democratic exercise, this meeting between residents and candidates was somewhat hampered by the reality of federal elections, which deal with global rather than local issues. However, the debate did highlight different visions for common concerns.
In Montreal North, the issues are concrete, urgent, and at the heart of residents' daily lives. Here, citizens expect less rhetoric and more tangible commitments—a challenge. The candidates will know if they have risen to the challenge when they find out the election results on Monday evening.