Montreal city councillor Laura Palestini running in byelection for the Liberals

Laura Palestini, a city councillor in Montreal's LaSalle borough, will run as a Liberal Party candidate in the LaSalle-Émard-Verdun byelection. (Source: Liberty Party of Canada)

City councillor Laura Palestini will be the Liberal candidate in the coming byelection for the Montreal riding of LaSalle--Emard--Verdun.

The seat has been empty since the resignation of former justice minister David Lametti, who was the MP for the riding from 2015 to early this year.

The Liberal Party says Palestini, who represented the area on the local borough council and Montreal city council, advocated for "progressive priorities" such as public transit and affordable housing.

The Conservative Party says its candidate will be small business owner Louis Ialenti, while the NDP have nominated Craig Sauve, who is also a city councillor.

Elections Canada says the byelection must be called by July 30, and the latest date it can be held is Sept. 16.

It will follow a Toronto byelection in which the Liberals lost a long-held stronghold to the Conservatives.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published on July 19, 2024.