OTTAWA — An independent candidate running in Quebec’s provincial election is drawing attention with a campaign poster showing herself topless, with two Quebec fleur-de-lis symbols covering her breasts.Caroline Boisvert is running as an independent in the riding of Chambly in the October 5 provincial election. Her candidacy was officially authorized by Élections Québec on Sept. 8.The poster prominently displays Boisvert’s name above the words “Candidate indépendante,” with “CHAMBLY” printed beside a photograph of the candidate.Boisvert appears topless in the image, with two circular Quebec fleur-de-lis symbols placed over her breasts.The unusual poster comes as Boisvert makes her second run for provincial office. She previously ran in Chambly for Démocratie directe, a party that advocates for direct citizen democracy in the 2022 election..Boisvert, who is approaching 48, told the Journal de Chambly that issues affecting young people are among her priorities, along with justice, government corruption and what she described as restoring and respecting fundamental and constitutional rights.She previously worked in the restaurant industry and is currently off work, according to the local newspaper. Boisvert is the only independent among nine candidates contesting Chambly this election. The riding includes Chambly, Carignan, Richelieu, Saint-Mathias-sur-Richelieu and Saint-Basile-le-Grand. The ballot itself includes some unconventional choices.One of Boisvert’s opponents is François Pellerin of the Parti culinaire du Québec, a registered political party that wants Quebec to become what it calls a “gastronocracy.” The party describes the concept as a society in which gastronomy becomes a reference point for government decisions involving everything from health and education to justice, the economy and the environment.“Because eating well is accessible happiness,” the party says in describing its political philosophy.The Parti culinaire also advocates eating Quebec-produced food whenever possible, supporting local agriculture, reducing food waste and using gastronomy as a diplomatic tool to help resolve international conflicts. The party was founded in 2018 by chef Jean-Louis Thémistocle Randriantiana, better known as Chef Thémis. He told Urbania this month that the project originally began partly because he wanted to bring some entertainment to elections he considered dull, but said he later came to see food choices themselves as political. Four Parti culinaire candidates are running across Quebec this election. Quebecers head to the polls Monday, October 5, where current polls indicate the pro-independence Parti Quebecoise is most likely to form government.
