By Canadian Press

Some facts and figures about the federal riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie

Oct 6, 2019 | 5:21 AM

Laurier-Sainte-Marie

This Montreal riding is shaping up to be a true three-way race for the NDP, Liberals and Bloc Quebecois. The NDP’s Helene Laverdiere rode the “orange wave” to victory in 2011, handing then-Bloc leader Gilles Duceppe a crushing defeat in the riding he had held since 1990. But she isn’t running this time, and activist Nima Machouf, wife of well-known ex-provincial politician Amir Khadir, hopes to keep the riding under the NDP banner. The Liberals have fielded prominent environmental activist Steven Guilbeault and are counting on his name-recognition to win them this seat.

Population: 111,835 (Elections Canada)

Major communities: Contains Montreal’s Gay Village and part of the city’s famous Plateau and Mile End districts.

Incumbent: Helene Laverdiere, NDP.

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Main challengers: Environmental activist Steven Guilbeault with the Liberals; author and director Michel Duchesne with the Bloc Quebecois; activist Nima Machouf for the NDP; ex-municipal politician Lise des Greniers for the Conservatives.

Election history: Gilles Duceppe, ex-Bloc Quebecois leader, held the riding from 1990 to 2011, when he lost to the NDP’s Helene Laverdiere, who beat Duceppe once more in 2015. The Liberals haven’t won the riding since 1988.

Fun fact: The riding was until recently home to a massive public art installation called “18 Shades of Gay” featuring 180,000 multicoloured plastic balls hanging above Ste-Catherine Street. The balls are now being sold off to the public.

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The Canadian Press