OTTAWA — Lone Quebec NDP MP Alexandre Boulerice is expected to leave the caucus and run for Québec Solidaire in the next provincial election this fall. That move would reduce the NDP to its smallest representation in history with only five seats in the House of Commons. Radio-Canada first reported that Boulerice is set to make the announcement Monday.Boulerice has represented the Montreal riding of Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie since 2011 and previously served as deputy leader since 2019, after being appointed by former leader Jagmeet Singh. His departure would mark the complete dissolution of its footprint in Quebec, where it has struggled to maintain support since its 2011 orange way led by the late Jack Layton.The Journal de Montréal reported that Boulerice was expected to run in the riding of Gouin for Québec Solidaire since the party made an exception to its rule of only allowing female or non-binary candidates, effectively barring men from running for the party. .The riding has been a safe Québec Solidaire seat since 2012, and early projections suggest Boulerice would enter the race with the highest odds of winning.According to poll aggregator 338 Canada’s April 23 projection, Boulerice is leading by roughly 23 points in the riding.The same polling shows that his federal riding of Rosemont—La Petit-Patrie continues to lean in favor of the NDP, however by only 8 points, and has not factored in the Boulerice's departure.Across the province, Québec Solidaire has struggled in recent polling, and lags behind the leading separatist party, Parti Quebecoise and its main rival the Quebec liberal party. Data from Qc125 places the party at around 10%, with projections suggesting it could win between two and eight seats in the next provincial election. According to 338 Canada’s April aggregation of projections, the newly revamped Conservative Party of Quebec led by Eric Duhaime, which currently has no seats in the Quebec Assembly, is polling to receive (10) three more seats than Quebec Solidaire (7). The party currently holds 11 seats in Quebec’s 125-seat National Assembly.Boulerice’s expected move comes weeks after the federal NDP elected Avi Lewis as its new leader at the end of March. Lewis is set to lead the party from outside the House of Commons, as the NDP prepares to operate with what would be its smallest caucus in history at five seats.Last month in March only weeks before the NDP elected new leader Avi Lewis, Nunavut NDP MP Lori Idlout crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party caucus.
