Vous voyez rouge? Votez bleu! It was a catchy PQ electoral slogan that tried to capitalize on Jean Charest’s profound unpopularity in late 2005, when a provincial by-election was held in Outremont. Given the timing of the election — just after Gomery’s report on the sponsorship program was released — I wouldn’t be surprised if the slogan was also meant to equate the dirty dealings of the federal Liberals with the PLQ.
In any case, it’s all history: the PQ’s candidate, Farouk Karim, lost to the Liberals’ Raymond Bachand, who was promptly shuffled into cabinet. What I remember most about this election was the distinctive diamond shape of Karim’s sign. They were eye-catching but I have to say they didn’t make for very good toboggans when, after the election, my friends and I took them down and used them to slide down Mount Royal.
Photo taken on Park Avenue during the 2005 Outremont provincial by-election.