Prime Minister Mark Carney has called three byelections for August 31 across ridings in British Columbia, Ontario, and Quebec, according to an official news release published on the prime minister’s website. The upcoming races will determine replacements for former Liberal MP Jonathan Wilkinson, who is now Canada’s ambassador to the European Union, former Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith, and former Conservative MP Richard Martel, who accepted an appointment to the Senate.
Candidate Lineups and Riding Details
Major federal parties have begun naming their contenders for the late-summer ballot. The Liberals plan to run Braeden Caley, Carney’s former deputy chief of staff, in the B.C. riding of North Vancouver-Capilano. Tanveer Shahnawaz will contest the Ontario riding of Beaches-East York, and Daniel Gobeil will carry the Liberal banner in the Quebec riding of Chicoutimi-Le Fjord, according to party announcements. The Bloc Québécois announced Caroline Dubé as their candidate for Chicoutimi-Le Fjord on Sunday morning. Meanwhile, the Green Party will run Shelley Luce in North Vancouver-Capilano, as noted on the party’s official website. The NDP stated that it has supplied nomination packages to interested candidates and intends to share further nomination details soon, while CBC News reached out to the Conservative Party to confirm their respective candidates.
House of Commons Seat Math and Majority Stakes
The Liberals must secure a victory in at least one of these three races to maintain control of the House of Commons. Current standings show the Liberals holding 171 seats, excluding Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia. However, that total is expected to drop to 170 seats by late September when MPs return from the summer break, driven by the planned August 28 departure of former Liberal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault. Additional upcoming departures include Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall, who stated her resignation will become official on August 31, and NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice, who announced plans to seek a provincial seat and will wait for the Quebec election to be called before officially stepping down. Factoring in these vacancies, opposition parties are expected to hold a combined total of 165 seats in late September. Winning even a single byelection would lift the Liberals back to 171 seats, preserving a technical majority that requires relying on the Speaker to break ties.
Did You Know? Prime Minister Mark Carney left one vacant seat off the August ballot: Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton in Quebec, which was previously held by former Bloc Québécois MP Simon-Pierre Savard-Tremblay before he stepped down earlier this year to run in a provincial election. The Prime Minister’s Office stated it would address Saint-Hyacinthe-Bagot-Acton in due course, and Elections Canada notes that a byelection for that riding can be called as early as August 10 and no later than December 19.
Frequently Asked Questions
When will the byelections take place?
The byelections are scheduled for August 31.
Which ridings are holding byelections?
The ridings holding votes are North Vancouver-Capilano in British Columbia, Beaches-East York in Ontario, and Chicoutimi-Le Fjord in Quebec.
Why are these seats currently vacant?
The seats were vacated following the departures of Jonathan Wilkinson, who became Canada’s ambassador to the European Union; Nathaniel Erskine-Smith; and Richard Martel, who was appointed to the Senate.
How will these upcoming August byelections influence the immediate balance of power in Parliament?
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