Seven Candidates Vie for Gatineau Mayor in June 9 Byelection

The mayoral byelection in Gatineau, Quebec, is set for June 9, with seven candidates running to replace former mayor France Bélisle. Bélisle resigned in February, citing death threats and a hostile political environment as her reasons for stepping down.

Why this matters: The outcome of this election will have significant implications for the city's governance and direction, particularly in light of the previous mayor's resignation due to a hostile political environment. The result will also be closely watched as a bellwether for the state of municipal politics in Quebec and Canada.

The candidates vying for the mayor's seat are Rémi Bergeron, Stéphane Bisson, Yves Ducharme, Daniel Feeny, Olive Kamanyana, Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, and Mathieu St-Jean. Bergeron, a secondary school teacher, is running for mayor for the third time as an independent. Bisson, also an independent, is a real estate broker and former president of the Gatineau Chamber of Commerce.

Yves Ducharme, an independent candidate, previously served as mayor of Gatineau from 2001 to 2005 and as mayor of Hull from 1992 to 2001. He is seeking to return to the mayor's office. Daniel Feeny, also running as an independent, is the former director of communications and intergovernmental relations for Gatineau's mayoral office, serving from 2021 to 2024.

Olive Kamanyana, running as an independent, is a former councillor for Gatineau's Carrefour de l'Hôpital ward. She stepped down from her position in April to run for mayor. Maude Marquis-Bissonnette, the only candidate running under a party banner (Action Gatineau), is a professor of municipal management and former councillor for Gatineau's Plateau ward, serving from 2017 to 2021.

Mathieu St-Jean, an independent candidate, is a former People's Party of Canada candidate for the riding of Gatineau and previously served as the regional co-ordinator for the Laurentians-Outaouais-Ottawa and Glengarry-Prescott-Russell regions.

Early polls for the mayoral byelection will open on June 2, from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., while election day polls will be open on June 9, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Voters are encouraged to register to vote and bring their registration reminder and a piece of government-issued identification to the ballot station. They can confirm their electoral district and eligibility atgatineau.ca.

The Gatineau mayoral byelection comes at a time of political upheaval for the city, following the resignation of France Bélisle, who made history as the city's first female mayor. With seven candidates in the running, each bringing their own unique backgrounds and platforms, the race for the mayor's office is expected to be closely contested. The outcome of the June 9 vote will determine who will lead Gatineau through the remainder of the current term and shape the city's future direction.