Martin C. Barry
Supporters from a sizeable cross-section of Laval’s multicultural communities turned out last Friday evening for the Fabre Liberal riding association’s official nomination of incumbent MNA Monique Sauvé to represent the Liberals in Fabre in the Oct. 1 election.
Four Ministers show up
The event, held at the Charbonneau l’Expert garden supplies store on Samson Blvd., was also attended by a number of current and at least one former MNA, as well as four Liberal cabinet ministers.
All came out to show support for Sauvé, who was first elected in a November 2015 by-election following the resignation of former Fabre Liberal MNA Gilles Ouimet.
Some came from far
Among the guests was Mont-Royal MNA Pierre Arcand (Minister for Government Administration), Notre-Dame-de-Grâce MNA Kathleen Weil (Minister for Relations with Anglophone Quebecers), Soulanges MNA Lucie Charlebois (Minister for Rehabilitation, Youth Protection and Public Health), and Mille-Îles MNA Francine Charbonneau (Minister for Senior Citizens and Minister responsible for the Laval region).
One member of the National Assembly who travelled far to be on hand was Paul Busque, the Liberal MNA from Beauce-Sud. And in a rare public appearance since leaving provincial politics almost exactly six years ago, former Fabre Liberal MNA Michelle Courchesne was also among the guests.
Nomination uncontested
The connection between Courchesne – who was Deputy Premier at one time and a senior member of the Charest cabinet – and Sauvé is that Courchesne supported Sauvé when the latter had very little idea of what might be expected of her in the world of politics. Sauvé’s candidacy for the 2018 PLQ Fabre nomination was uncontested.
“It was with great pleasure that we accepted our dear Monique’s invitation to be here today,” said Charlebois who spoke at even greater length than Sauvé herself. “We wanted to be here because we all understand the importance of a nomination. And as everyone here knows, I am sure, they have an excellent MNA. Since 2015 she has been defending the riding of Fabre with a great deal of passion.”
Live up to commitments
Sauvé, for her part, said that after two-and-a-half years in office, she managed to complete 10 commitments she had made when she was running in 2015. “It is with you that I wish to work with for my next commitments, as I did the last time,” she continued.
“I want to meet the citizens, I want to meet everyone: the families, the seniors, the people from the cultural communities – all the residents of my wonderful riding which is the most beautiful in Quebec.”
Wants to be better known
In an interview with the Laval News, Sauvé was asked whether she has any preoccupations heading towards the October election. “I’ve been in politics only two-years-and-a-half, so my biggest challenge is that I didn’t get the chance in these two-years-and-a-half to meet everybody,” she said.
“As you’re seen tonight, there was a lot of support from my community,” she continued. “But still I have some jobs to do, and I want to make sure to meet with everybody. Because if I want to do my job right, I must meet with almost everybody. They have to know me a bit better. So this is my biggest challenge, honestly. I’m kind of new in politics.”
