PQ wins two of four byelections and keeps Pierre Karl Peladeau’s seat
MONTREAL — The Opposition Parti Quebecois retained two ridings in byelections Monday as Jean-Francois Lisee passed his first major test since becoming leader of the sovereigntist party two months ago.
The governing Liberals won their Montreal stronghold of Verdun but saw their share of the popular vote drop in all four byelections when compared with their performances in 2014.
One of the PQ victories came in Saint-Jerome, which had been vacant since former leader Pierre Karl Peladeau’s resignation from politics last May.
Marc Bourcier had more than 45 per cent of the vote for the PQ, compared with the 36.8 per cent garnered by Peladeau in the 2014 election.