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Prime Minister Mark Carney has called three byelections in the B.C. riding of North Vancouver–Capilano, the Ontario riding of Beaches-East York and the Quebec riding of Chicoutimi—Le Fjord.
The byelections will be held on Aug. 31, according to a news release posted on the prime minister’s website Sunday morning.
Candidates will seek to replace former Liberal MP Jonathan Wilkinson — now Canada’s ambassador to the European Union — as well as former Liberal MP Nathaniel Erskine-Smith and former Conservative MP Richard Martel, who has been appointed to the Senate.
The Liberals need to win one of the races to maintain control of the House of Commons. As things stand, the Liberals have 171 seats (not counting Speaker Francis Scarpaleggia).
By the time MPs return from the summer break in late September, the Liberals are expected to be sitting at 170 seats. That’s because Liberal cabinet minister Steven Guilbeault is stepping down August 28.
Due to other vacancies, the combined seat total of the opposition parties in late September is expected to be 165 seats. Conservative MP Cathay Wagantall has indicated she will make her resignation official on Aug. 31.
Plus, NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice is tossing his hat in the provincial ring and has said he’ll wait for the Quebec election to be called before officially resigning.
If the Liberals win one of the races, that will bring them into 171 seats, which lets them maintain a technical majority in the House where they would need to rely on the Speaker to break ties.
The Liberals will run Carney’s former deputy chief of staff Braeden Caley in North Vancouver—Capilano, Tanveer Shahnawaz in Beaches—East York and Daniel Gobeil in Chicoutimi–Le Fjord.
CBC has reached out to the Conservative Party to confirm their candidates for the upcoming byelections.
The NDP told CBC on Friday evening it has provided “nomination packages to interested candidates and will have more to share about nominations in these ridings soon.”
