Pundits' Guide: Bloc Québécois gains and losses

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Bloc Québécois gains and losses

LAST UPDATED: Friday, October 24, 2008, after a Judicial recount overturned the preliminary results in Brossard – La Prairie, QC.

51	–	Elected in 2006 Election
-5	–	Benoît SAUVAGEAU deceased; Louise THIBAULT expelled from the caucus; Yvan LOUBIER, Michel GAUTHIER and Maka KOTTO retired)
+2	–	(Raymond GRAVEL and Ève-Mary Thaï THI LAC both elected in by-elections)
48	–	Dissolution
-2	–	Vivian BARBOT lost to Justin TRUDEAU in Papineau; Marcel LUSSIER lost to Alexandra MENDÈS in Brossard – La Prairie
+3	–	(see Gains below)
49	–	Elected in 2008 Election

Gains (defeated incumbent) - newly elected:

QC: Rimouski-Neigette – Témiscouata – Les Basques (Louise THIBAULT, Ind/former BQ; she came 5th) - Claude GUIMOND
QC: Louis-Hébert (Luc HARVEY, Cons) - Pascal-Pierre PAILLÉ
QC: Saint-Lambert (vacant at dissolution after resignation of Maka KOTTO, BQ) - Josée BEAUDIN

In addition, 4 new members are joining the Bloc caucus, replacing 4 of their members who chose not to run in 2008:

QC: Drummond (Pauline PICARD retired) - Roger POMERLEAU
QC: Longueuil – Pierre-Boucher (Caroline ST-HILAIRE retired) - Jean DORION
QC: Repentigny (Raymond GRAVEL retired) - Nicolas DUFOUR
QC: Rivière-des-Mille-Îles - (Gilles A.-Perron retired) - Luc DESNOYERS

The Bloc Québécois obtained 49 seats + 17 second-place finishes in the 75 ridings it contests in the province of Québec (its smallest share of seats-plus-seconds in this database). Its candidates obtained the 10% or better vote share required to become eligible for election expense rebates in 71/75 ridings. Province-wide their percentage of the vote declined by 0.5%, and their share of the vote declined in 65/75 ridings. Nevertheless, the Bloc continues to dominate the political landscape federally in Québec, as it has since its creation.

Labels: 40th General Election, Bloc Québécois