VAUDREUIL – A key riding in Quebec that could play an important role in deciding which party comes to power in the Oct. 19 federal election is Vaudreuil-Soulanges.
Friday, candidates gathered for a meet-and-greet at the Prenatal and Young Family Center.
Incumbent NDP candidate Jamie Nicholls said his party will look out for the growing number of families living in the riding.
“I’ve had four years of experience talking to families and knowing their needs and concerns.”
He’s working hard to hold onto his seat. The NDP won the riding in the orange wave last election.
However, this bedroom community is a swing riding, having voted in all major parties at different times.
On Friday, the candidates focused on promoting women’s rights, an issue important to local working families.
“We want to value women’s work, both in the home and out of the home, create an economy that will allow women to participate in the workforce,” said Nicholls.
Liberal candidate Peter Schiefke thinks his party has the most to offer families.
“There’s a party that is understanding that families are having a harder and harder time making ends meet and we’re going to give them the investment they deserve.”
The riding has about 110,000 residents.
It’s an affordable place to live and is one of the fastest-growing communities in the country.
Marc Boudreau, the Conservative candidate, said he understands the issues faced by families – especially single moms – in the riding.
“I come from a single-mother family with three kids. I have a lot of respect towards a single mother family.”
He has his work cut out for him to win the riding. The Tories haven’t held the seat for about 50 years. Boudreau thinks his party’s economic policies will help families.
“We balanced the budget. We were the last country to go in the recession and the first one to come out. Mr. Harper did a great job.”
The last time the Liberals were in power, this riding was red. But at this point, whether people vote NDP again and keep the riding orange is anyone’s guess.
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