CAQ targeting Liberal bastions in western Quebec

As the first week of the Quebec election campaign comes to an end, the Coalition AvenirQubec has its eyeon westernQuebec despite its longtime support for the Liberal Party.

The five ridings in the Outaouais Papineau, Pontiac, Gatineau, Chapleau and Hull have voted Liberal for some forty years.

Each Liberal candidate gotmore than 50 per cent of the vote in 2014.

But CAQLeader FranoisLegaultmade westernQuebec one of his first stops on the campaign trail, handing out a massive promise to build a brand new 160-bed hospitalto address problems of access to health care in the region.

TheCAQcandidate forPapineau, formerTVApersonality MathieuLacombe, saidfortyyears of Liberal rule mean it's time for change.

"We feel taken for granted.We are taken for granted," saidLacombe, standing beside his leader.

Liberal LeaderPhilippe Couillardhas not visited the region yet in the campaign's official first week.

Outaouais in play

But he may not be able to stay away for long, according to Pierre Jury, editorialist-in-chief with LeDroitnewspaper.

He said the rise of the CAQin the polls means several ridings in western Quebec may be in play.

In particular, he said keep your eyes on:

• Chapleau, where Liberal incumbent Marc Carrire won with 58 per centof the vote in 2014.
• Gatineau, where Liberal candidate Luce Farrell is running toreplace incumbent StphanieVallewho won with 62 per cent.
• Papineau, where Liberal incumbent AlexandreIrac won with 50 per cent.

Jury said despite those numbers, the dynamics have changedand the longtime joke the Liberals would win western Quebec ridings if the candidate was a pig in a red cape may not apply this time.

"You have two mainpartiesthat are federalists now and that's a big change," said Jury.

It means with the sovereignty question off the table,and with the the CAQhigh in the polls provincially, voters have been presented with a choiceand a campaign that can examine other issues beyond which party will keep Quebec from separating.

Health care key

It's no surprise the CAQis focusing onhealth care.

Papineau'sLacombe said the region is at the bottom of the list when it comes to provincial per capita spending.

The community group SantOutaouais 2020 has already presented the parties with a questionnaire on the issues, from emergency room waiting lists to access to long-term care.

"Because of how important this issue is to people, and how it affects the people we love, there's no doubt this is the most important issue," according to the non-profit's Andrew Gibson.