In light of the upcoming fall provincial elections, THE EQUITY spoke with the candidates that have so far presented themselves in the race against three-term incumbent André Fortin. Fortin announced his fourth nomination to represent the Liberals with party leader Charles Milliard in Quyon this spring (see our May 7 edition).
THE EQUITY has already spoken with the Canadian Party of Quebec’s Pontiac candidate Will Twolan (see our May 28 edition) and will be seeking interviews with candidates from the other parties as they declare themselves. According to their websites, the Parti Québécois, the Quebec Conservative Party and the Green Party of Quebec have yet to announce their Pontiac candidates at the time of print.
THE EQUITY spoke with the candidates for the CAQ and Québec solidaire, giving them a chance to introduce themselves and their reasons for entering politics, with more comprehensive interviews on policy to come closer to election time.
Coalition Avenir Québec – Mariana Mefleh
Mariana Mefleh’s candidacy for the CAQ was announced at a press conference with Premier Christine Fréchette on July 13 in Wakefield. She holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Ottawa and a certificate in Diplomacy and International Business from the École nationale d’administration publique (ENAP).
A political staffer in the provincial government for nearly eight years, she worked with CAQ MNA Mathieu Lévesque of Chapleau and since Feb. 2024, Suzanne Tremblay of Hull. She said that she got into politics because she wanted to serve the people of the Outaouais, where she was born and raised.
“Some people would tell me, ‘Oh, you’re too sensitive to get into politics, that’s not who you are. You need to be tough,’” she said. “I just want to say that sensitivity is a strength in politics, it helps to remind you why you’re here, it helps to remind you of your goals [ . . . ] I just want to serve people, that’s who I am.”
Though she lives outside the Pontiac riding in nearby Gatineau, she said she was familiar with regional issues. During her time as a political advisor, she said she had the opportunity to work on a wide variety of Outaouais-wide files, from health care to education, but said that she also spent time dealing directly with the needs of constituents.
“Over the years, one thing that I’ve learned in politics, the most important quality is listening. The more people you meet, the more you realize that every person has different realities.”
As for why she chose to run for the CAQ, she said that it was a “pragmatic party” that aligns with her values. She said that the experience of working with local representatives showed her what it takes to be a member of the National Assembly.
“I’ve been involved in the CAQ for almost eight years, I’ve had the privilege of working alongside two really great MNAs, they became real mentors to me,” she said. “They showed me what it means to work hard and show up for people. That experience really shaped the kind of politician that I want to be.”
Mefleh said that she would be campaigning throughout the riding with her supporters and more information can be found on her Facebook page or via pontiac@coalitionavenirquebec.org.
Québec solidaire – Bianca Baldo
Bianca Baldo was announced as the Pontiac candidate for Québec solidaire (QS) back on July 3.
She is trained as a jurist, and has worked in a variety of roles including diversity, inclusion and accessibility work with various organizations and government agencies. She is also an artist, a mother of three children and the president of the Association des résidents du Village d’Aylmer (ARVA), a community advocacy organization.
Living in Aylmer since 2017, she said that she made the jump to provincial politics after helping out her friend Laura Avalos, QS’s Gatineau candidate in the 2022 campaign, who encouraged her to get involved. She said that after attending one of the party’s meetings after the election was over, she was struck by the lack of fellow anglophones, something that she’s aiming to change.
“Being to the final meeting that they had after the election and being a part of that conversation, I did not see very many anglophones around, but I know that anglophones from across the province are quite active in social justice,” she said. “So what’s the disconnect here that’s happening?”
She added that the party saw some success in the riding of Hull in 2022, placing third with 20 per cent of the vote, which showed that its message resonated with local residents.
“In the last election, Hull came quite close to being able to have a Québec solidaire candidate, and I was like, ‘Ok, there is a group of people here that believe in social justice, it’s just a matter of trying to figure out how to reach them.’”
She said that one of her priorities is to improve health care access in the area, noting that she, like many in the region, doesn’t have a family doctor. She also said that mitigating the effects of climate change is a top priority, pointing to the impacts of floods on the region over the last few years.
“I don’t understand why in this day and age we’re still dragging our feet on this one. There are green economies that have been proven to be able to provide alternatives in terms of economics,” she said. More information on Baldo is available via her Facebook page, or via bianca.baldo.2026@quebecsolidaire.net.
