Qubec Solidaire triples number of seats, gets off island of Montreal

Qubec Solidairewon seats offthe island of Montreal for the first timein the party's history on Monday, more than triplingits seat count at the National Assembly.

"We are no longer the party of Plateau Mont-Royal," said co-spokespersonManonMass, referring to the Montreal borough where it enjoys strong support, after her party won 10 seats across the province.

In addition to six ridings in Montreal, the party won two ridings in downtown Quebec City, one inSherbrooke in the Eastern Townships and one in Rouyn-Noranda.

The party held three seats when the election was called. Itended up with a higher seat count than its sovereignistrivalPartiQuebecois, which was stripped of its official party status after a disastrous night.

QubecSolidaire's emphasis onthe environment and social justicestruck a chord with younger voters, many of whom took part in a celebration at the partyheadquarters at Montreal's L'Olympia theatre.

"This is a big step for QS, a big step for Quebec, but a giant step for ordinary people," said Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois.

The 28-year-old former student leader said the party has been "the social conscience" of the National Assembly for years, but will now be "a force to reckon with."

Inthe Montreal riding of Rosemont, former La Presse columnist VincentMarissalbeat out PartiQubcoisLeaderJean-FranoisLise. In his concession speech,Liseannounced he is quitting as PQ leader.

Big night in Quebec City

In Quebec City, Catherine Dorion won the downtown riding of Taschereau. And Sol Zanetti, the former leader of the hardlinesovereignistparty Option Nationale,which merged with QubecSolidaire last year, wrestedJean-Lesage from the Liberals.

Dorion takes over from Agns Maltais, the popular Parti QubcoisMNAwho retired from politics at dissolution after a 30-year career.

Dorion, 35, who ran twice before in the riding under the Option Nationale banner, called the win a "shared joy" with her constituents inTaschereau.

"We're not only a party. We're a movement. It's a real thing.It's happening," she said. "We deserve something better than whathas been offered to us in the last decades."

The runner-up in Taschereau, first-time CAQ candidateSvetlanaSolomykina, was nearly 8,500 votes behind Dorion.

The PQ candidate in Taschereau, Diane Lavalle, lost despite herimpressive background as former president of Quebec'sfederation of nursesand former chair of Quebec's council for the status of women.

TheLiberals'FlorentTanletalso failed to sway voters.

Win in Sherbrooke

In Sherbrooke, Christine Labrie, a doctoral candidate in women's studies,won a decisive victory for QubecSolidaire.

The vote split four ways, with the Liberals and CAQnearly in a dead heat for second and third place and the Parti Qubcois trailing in fourth.

And in the riding of Rouyn-Noranda-Tmiscamingue, miliseLessard-Therrienwon over the CAQ'sJrmyBlanger.

In fourth place, behind the PQ, is the incumbent LiberalMNALucBlanchette, who has been heavily criticized for his decisions as Minister of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, including thedisplacement of the Val-d'Or caribou herd.