Laval–Les Îles (Quebec) 158/338

 Laval–Les Îles (Quebec)

Today we're in Laval with Laval–Les Îles!

Laval–Les Îles has existed as a riding since 2003, created from Laval West. The population of the riding was 111,784 in 2021. The riding contains the southwestern portion of Laval, including the neighbourhoods of Sainte-Dorothée, Laval-Ouest, as well as part of the Fabreville neighbourhood. The riding has the highest % of Christian Orthodox and Greek residents.

Politically, surprisingly this seat has never voted for the Bloc Quebecois. It has gone with every other Quebec trend (ie PC from 1984-1993, NDP in 2011, back to Liberal in 2015). It has been a Liberal/Bloc race in modern history, with the Bloc coming in second from 1993-2008. The seat is currently held by Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury.

While much of Laval has been open to voting for Quebec sovereignty, this seat has not had much interest. In 1995, while every other Laval riding narrowly voted for separation, the riding of Chomedey voted overwhelmingly "non", which made Laval collectively vote "non" by about 13,000 votes. Provincially, a sovereigntist candidate hasn't been elected here since 1998. In 2019, this seat was 57/78 in Quebec and 245/338 in Canada by margin.

The name is fine, the islands seem important geographically. The shape is also pretty clean, maybe choose Chomedey or Fabreville, but that's not the end of the world. As for individuality, that 1995 sovereignty margin is insane, and the rejection of sovereigntist candidates is surprising too.

Tomorrow we're back in Ontario with Leeds–Grenville–Thousand Islands and Rideau Lakes! (yeesh)