Former student leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois has been named Quebec Solidaire‘s candidate for the upcoming byelection in Gouin, following Françoise David‘s resignation due to health issues.
READ MORE: Former student leader Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois joins Quebec Solidaire
Nadeau-Dubois said he decided to enter politics because he believes Quebecers are ready for change – a “new approach” to provincial politics.
He claims since his candidacy announcement, the party’s membership has grown by 5,000 members, a 50 per cent increase.
READ MORE: Quebec budget 2017: More money for health, education and Montreal’s electric train project
Referring to the provincial budget, which was released Tuesday, Nadeau-Dubois spoke of his displeasure with the Liberal leadership over the past few years.
“It’s too little because the Liberal government is trying to reinvest money in education after cutting the budget for three years in a row,” he said.
READ MORE: Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois ready for ‘political action’
“The children that didn’t have their specialists nor resources to learn in the past three years, this new money won’t buy time back.”
“I think education should be a priority every year and not just pre-electoral years.”
Nadeau-Dubois insists he doesn’t believe anglophones will vote exclusively for the Liberals moving forward.
READ MORE: Supreme Court of Canada agrees to hear Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois appeal
“I think a lot of anglophones in Quebec believe in social justice, believe in environmental justice, they believe that French should be protected in Quebec while also protecting the rights of anglophone Quebecers,” Nadeau-Dubois stated.
“I think a lot of anglophones are ready to vote for a party that puts forward those values and considers them in the project of Quebec independence.”
READ MORE: Québec Solidaire Leader Françoise David announces she’s quitting politics
The Gouin byelection, which encompasses the Montreal borough of Rosemont-la-Petite-Patrie is slated to take place sometime this year.