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Canada Votes 2008

Results, Ridings and Candidates

Laval

2008 Results

Laval
Party Candidate Votes Status
Updated: Nov. 7, 2008 5:00 PM EST 234/234 polls
BQ Nicole Demers 19,085 Elected
LIB Alia Haddad 14,190
CON Jean-Pierre Bélisle 9,101
NDP Alain Giguère 6,318
GRN Eric Madelein 1,607
ML Yvon Breton 221

Unofficial results were updated at the time shown following judicial recounts in six ridings. For more recent results, visit Elections Canada. The CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites. External links will open in a new window.

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This riding is located in the central part of the city of Laval, on Île Jésus, north of Montreal. It runs from Rivière-des-Prairies in the south to Rivière-des-Milles-Îles in the north, between Highway 15, the hydro transmission line and Boulevard des Laurentides in the east and Boulevard CuréLabelle and the hydro transmission lines in the west.

Manufacturing, retail trade and the service sector are the major employers in this riding. The average family income is $66,496 with an unemployment rate of 6.5 per cent.

According to the 2006 census, 69 per cent of residents cite French as their mother tongue, while 5.6 per cent list English. There are significant Arabic, Spanish, Greek and Italian-speaking communities. The total immigrant population is 21 per cent.

Laval riding was created in the 2004 redistribution from 70 per cent of Laval Centre and 17 per cent of Laval West. The 1976 redistribution created Laval-des-Rapides. It consisted of 32 per cent of Ahuntsic, 26 per cent of Laval, 22 per cent of Dollard and 20 per cent of Duvernay. There was no change in the 1996 redistribution. The Laval-des-Rapides riding name was changed to Laval Centre on July 23, 1990.

Population: 102,230 (2006 census; an increase of 3.4% since 2001)

Political History

The Liberals tried a new candidate in 2006, but could not gain enough ground to unseat Bloc Québécois incumbent Nicole Demers. Demers defeated Liberal Alia Haddad by just under 10,000 votes.

In 2004, Demers defeated Liberal Pierre Lafleur, winning her first term in office and holding on to the seat for the Bloc.

In 1979, Liberal Jeanne Sauvé, who won in Ahuntsic in 1968, 1972 and 1974, ran in Laval-Des-Rapides. Sauvé was elected in 1979 and in 1980. When she was appointed Speaker in 1980 and governor general in 1983, she was the first woman to hold these posts. In 1984, Liberal Raymond Garneau was elected; in 1988, it was PC Jacques Tetreault.

Laval-Des-Rapides/Laval Centre:

  • 1979-84 inclusive - LIB
  • 1988 - PC
  • 1993, 1997, 2000 - BQ

Laval:

  • 2004, 2006 - BQ