Unemployment rights advocate Pierre Céré has confirmed he wants to be named the New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate to succeed Alexandre Boulerice in the Montreal riding of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, where a byelection is slated to be called. “I’m a left-winger. I always have been. For me, the main issue is building a progressive, social-democratic society where people can live well on a decent income, with a roof over their heads and decent housing,” he told The Canadian Press. Céré, 67, recounts how, on March 10, 1980, he helped set up a “group for the unemployed.” Since then, he has been involved in community work; politics, he says, is “a fairly logical next step” from his social activism. This is not the first time Céré has hoped to be elected. In 2014, he entered the race for the leadership of the Parti Québécois (PQ), but withdrew due to a lack of funds. Businessman Pierre Karl Péladeau was ultimately elected. Looking back, Céré explains that he wanted to tackle the “excess” of conservative and identitarian nationalism, which views foreigners or immigrants as a threat, whilst also defending the progressive model. Within the PQ, he laughs as he remembers that some called him “Mr. Socialist.” Since then, he says he has “broken” with the political party. But is he still a sovereigntist? “Of course, that’s where people expect me to stand,” he admits half-heartedly, though he insists he wants to support a resolutely federalist party. Is there a transparency issue at play in his reluctance to give a clear answer? “I’m fed up with these old debates,” he blurts out, emphasizing the importance of tackling the “real issues.” In April, the NDP’s new leader, Avi Lewis, avoided saying whether he would require future candidates to be federalists. Instead, he argued that sovereignty was not a pressing issue in Quebec, adding that the NDP is aiming to build a progressive majority in Canada. Céré is the first candidate to declare his plan to run for the nomination, though the party reports that it has received documents from a second potential nominee. The candidates’ names are set to be communicated to members between 15 and 30 days before the nomination on July 16. Boulerice’s support? Six byelections are set to be held across the country over the coming months, with Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie particularly likely to swing to another political party. Outgoing MP, Alexandre Boulerice, whose popularity exceeded that of his party, is leaving the federal stage to seek the Québec Solidaire nomination in Gouin, where he hopes to succeed former party co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois. “It’s a real battle,” admits Céré. “Nothing is a foregone conclusion.” When questioned by The Canadian Press, Boulerice confirmed that he had “approached and encouraged” Céré to stand as a candidate, adding that “the final decision rests with the members, and I don’t want to interfere.” Boulerice was the last-standing Member of the House of Commons elected alongside Jack Layton during the “Orange Wave” of 2011. At the time, the NDP had won 53 of Quebec’s 76 seats and formed the official opposition in Ottawa. Today, they have just five seats nationwide, with none in Quebec. However, the party is “absolutely not” dead, asserts Céré, who insists that it will regain its ground. In passing, he points out that the Conservatives were left with just two MPs, including Jean Charest, following the end of Brian Mulroney’s government. A few years later, the party returned to power. In the last federal election, Boulerice won 41.0 per cent of the vote. The Liberals came second with 31.6 per cent, and the Bloc finished third with 18.3 per cent. However, with the “Boulerice factor” no longer part of the equation, Mark Carney’s Liberals are comfortably leading in the polls. The Bloc, which held the constituency for a long time, is suggesting that there is still a blue undercurrent amongst the electorate. Their candidate is due to be announced on Thursday. In April, NDP Leader Lewis decided against standing for election in the riding, saying it was “too early,” given that he had a great deal of work to do to rebuild the party at the national level. The nomination meeting scheduled for July 16 is set to be a double event, as the New Democrats must also select their candidate in the neighbouring riding of Laurier-Sainte-Marie, where a byelection will be held following the resignation of former environment minister Steven Guilbeault. Epidemiologist Nimâ Machouf is the only candidate to announced her intention to stand again for the NDP in that riding. This report by The Canadian Press was first published in French on June 18, 2026.
