Politics·PODCAST

The Pollcast: Byelections, byelections, byelections!

Four federal byelections will be held on Dec. 11. But they might not be the only ones on the horizon. Pollcast host Éric Grenier is joined by the CBC's Catherine Cullen and Joël-Denis Bellavance of La Presse to discuss.

Host Éric Grenier is joined by Joël-Denis Bellavance of La Presse and the CBC's Catherine Cullen

Voters go to the polls in four federal byelections in B.C., Saskatchewan, Ontario and Newfoundland and Labrador on Dec. 11. (Dave Chidley/Canadian Press)

The CBC Pollcast, hosted by CBC poll analyst Éric Grenier, explores the world of electoral politics, political polls and the trends they reveal.


There are a few things to watch in the four federal byelections scheduled for Dec. 11.

Will the Conservatives be able to hold on to their B.C. seat in South Surrey–White Rock after the resignation of former Surrey mayor Dianne Watts?

What impact will the arrival of NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh have in a diverse, suburban, Greater Toronto Area riding like Scarborough–Agincourt?

And who will the candidates be for the Conservatives in Battlefords–Lloydminster in Saskatchewan and for the Liberals in the Newfoundland and Labrador riding of Bonavista–Burin–Trinity, where the incumbent parties are expected to easily hold their seats?

But these aren't the only ridings to keep an eye on.

One day after the four byelections were called, Liberal MP Denis Lemieux announced he would resign his Quebec seat of Chicoutimi–Le Fjord, a riding he won by just 600 votes in 2015. The byelection will have to be called in the six months following Lemieux's official resignation, which he said would be in the next few weeks.

Another battleground Quebec riding could be up for grabs soon to go along with Chicoutimi–Le Fjord.

Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair has indicated he may step down as the MP for Outremont by the end of the year. If he does, the riding he won in an upset 2007 byelection will be hotly contested by both the New Democrats and the Liberals, who held the riding previously.

To discuss the four upcoming byelections and the ones that are. or could be. just over the horizon, CBC polls analyst Éric Grenier is joined by Joël-Denis Bellavance, Ottawa bureau chief for La Presse, and the CBC's Catherine Cullen on the latest episode of the Pollcast.

Listen to the full discussion above — or subscribe to the CBC Pollcast and listen to past episodes.​

Follow Éric Grenier, Catherine Cullen and Joël-Denis Bellavance on Twitter.