Incumbent NDP MP François Pilon is still the first choice for many Laval residents in Laval-les-Îles riding—but not by much—according to a straw poll conducted by The Suburban.
Residents were asked about their voting intentions at two locations, using a list of candidates confirmed by Elections Canada as of Friday September 23.
Respondents were approached at the Méga Centre Notre-Dame (at Notre Dame and de la Lavatère in Sainte-Dorothée) and at the corner of boulevards Saint-Martin and Curé Labelle in Chomedey. Respondents were almost evenly divided between motorists and pedestrians with 48 women and 52 men responding.
Pilon garnered 35 votes (35 percent), followed closely by Conservative candidate Roland Dick at 31 votes (31 per cent).
Liberal Fayçal El-Khoury received the nod from 24 voters (24 per cent) while Bloc Québecois candidate Nancy Redhead was the first choice for just 2 residents (2 per cent).
Faiza R’Guiba of the Green Party received one vote.
No one chose Yvon Breton of the Marxist-Leninist Party of Canada, and 7 (7 per cent) were undecided, with four of those voters saying it was a toss-up between the NDP and Liberals.
When asked what motivated their choice, Pilon supporters expressed familiarity and confidence in his work as MP; Dick’s supporters cited personal familiarity and support of Prime Minister Stephen Harper; and those choosing El-Khoury cited admiration for the candidate and for Liberal leader Justin Trudeau. Neither of the Bloc supporters knew the name of their candidate but cited “defending Quebec” as their reason for support.
The one Green Party voter said “Every other party talks about the environment, but the Greens are the only ones who really get it.”
