Category: News

On Sunday, April 24, incumbent French president Emmanuel Macron won re-election. However, Macron’s victory may be short-lived as he faces a divided population and a hostile political landscape. Background Emmanuel Macron was first elected as president of France in 2017 with more than two-thirds of the votes, defeating Marine Le Pen of the far-right party Rassemblement Nationale (RN). Macron’s party, La République en Marche (LREM), won a majority of seats in the French legislative election, giving him control of both the executive and legislative branches. The centrist and pro-European head…

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic has left many irreversible changes throughout society. New trends have immerged as this virus evolves daily. A new political party has risen to prominence in Quebec politics and may potentially become the fourth largest provincial party in support. Although the Conservative Party of Quebec (CPQ), led by Éric Duhaime, has received media coverage over the last year, the question remains; is the CPQ a new long-term major political establishment or a result of pandemic fatigue? Background The current and modern Conservative Party of Quebec was founded…

After disappointing election results and weeks of internal turmoil, Conservative caucus members have officially shown the door to their leader Erin O’Toole, automatically triggering a leadership contest that may further disunify an already divided party. Background Following the 2019 federal election, leader Andrew Scheer stepped down as leader of the Conservative Party of Canada. In August 2020, Durham MP Erin O’Toole was elected as his successor, beating out the initial frontrunner, former deputy leader Peter MacKay. During the leadership contest, O’Toole, a moderate Tory, ran on a “true blue” platform…

Following the Quebec municipal election, Independent MNA Catherine Fournier resigned to become mayor of Longueuil, triggering a by-election in her electoral district of Marie-Victorin. The race to replace Fournier may shape the outcome for the 2022 provincial elections and the political landscape of Quebec for the next decade. Ever since its creation, the electoral district of Marie-Victorin served as a Parti Québécois stronghold. Since 1985, each MNA from this South Shore riding has been elected under the PQ banner. In 2016, then-24-year-old Catherine Fournier continued the trend when elected to…

On November 7, 2021, Quebecers across the province went to the polls to choose who shall run their cities and municipalities for the next four years. With many heavyweights retiring from municipal politics, this election paved the way for new political breakthroughs across the province. Montreal – Plante re-elected Incumbent Montreal mayor Valérie Plante was re-elected with 52.1% of the vote. Plante was first elected in 2017 and became the first woman to serve as mayor of the metropolis. Her party, Projet Montréal, is projected to win a majority of…

Tax havens can be utilized by businesses to benefit from the low taxation rates for foreign investors. However, they can also be used to hide an individual’s personal wealth as well as tax avoidance. Through the work of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ), close to 12 million documents, including emails, bank statements, and passport copies, have been leaked regarding the flow of money and property in this shadow economy.  These documents, known as the Pandora Papers, expose the hidden financial affairs of the world’s ultra-rich, who have been…

On November 7, Montrealers will go to the polls and cast their ballot on who will run their city and boroughs. Here at the VCSA Insider, we have summarized on who are the candidates running across the city. Valérie Plante – The Incumbent Valérie Plante made history in 2017 when she was as the first female elected mayor of Montréal. Plante, then a relatively unknown politician, defeated one-term mayor Denis Coderre and her party Projet Montréal took control of City Council. Plante’s term as mayor has been marked by her…

As of November 1st, 2021, Quebec restaurant and bar owners will be able to operate at full capacity. Regular operating hours will be permitted, meaning bars can stay open until 3 am. Additionally, the distance between tables will be diminished from the standard 2 meters to 1 meter with partitions put in place if proper distancing is not possible. Health Minister, Christian Dubé, attributes this step towards “normality” to the ongoing vaccine passports. With the restrictions easing up on this industry, optimism can be felt by many. Renaud Poulin, president…

Disclaimer: The following article was written on the evening of Monday, September 20 and edited on the morning of Tuesday, September 21. Preliminary results are subject to change as votes are still being counted. After 36 days of campaigning, three fierce debates, and generous promises, the Canadian federal election has officially ended. On Monday, September 20, at 11:13 PM, CBC News/Radio-Canada, CTV News and Global News projected that the governing Liberal Party of Canada under incumbent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has officially won the 44th Canadian federal election with another…