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Montreal’s English-speaking leaders rallied behind Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather this week, but one thing was missing from their endorsement: the Liberal Party of Canada.
More than 60 community leaders, including current and former mayors, signed a letter published in The Gazette on Wednesday urging voters in the Mount Royal riding to re-elect Housefather as their MP. The signatories praised his advocacy for the English-speaking community and his efforts to tackle antisemitism.
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“He has such dignity and always follows his conscience. You don’t want to lose a Member of Parliament like that,” said Mitchell Brownstein, mayor of Côte-St-Luc.
Brownstein said the letter followed legal action taken by Côte-St-Luc and 23 municipalities against the Quebec government over Bill 96, which, he said, allows inspectors to visit cities without a warrant to check for compliance with French-only rules. The municipalities’ request for a stay was denied on Wednesday, and hearings on the case could now stretch on for years.
“This is very serious. We need a strong voice, and the only real voice on English issues from any party is Anthony.”
The endorsement also arrives at a difficult time for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s Liberal party, which has seen its poll numbers drop both nationally and in Quebec since 2022. But while Housefather remains in the Liberal caucus, the letter makes no mention of the party.
Since September, pressure has mounted on Trudeau after a string of by-election losses, including in Montreal’s LaSalle–Émard–Verdun. Trudeau, who is from Montreal, was absent in the campaign trails in those races.
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Now Trudeau is facing growing calls to resign. Housefather himself called this week for a “robust” discussion on whether Trudeau should remain as leader.
But this endorsement letter is a recognition of Housefather’s track record, said Joan Fraser, a former senator and signatory of the letter.
“It is a vote of confidence in Anthony Housefather for the next election. It’s not a partisan letter. There’s no reference to any political party,” she said. “That’s what parliamentary systems should be about — electing good MPs.”
In Mount Royal, the Conservatives have nominated Neil Oberman to challenge Housefather in the next election. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre was seen Tuesday night at Congregation Shaar Hashomayim in Westmount, in the neighbouring Notre-Dame-de-Grâce–Westmount riding.
“The Liberal Party is in trouble,” said one shopper outside Cavendish Mall.
Another remarked that they like Housefather but feel the party has let him down.
Last spring, Housefather considered joining the Conservatives over disagreements with his party on Palestinian statehood but ultimately stayed with the Liberals, citing his core values.
“It’s going to be a very contested election,” said Christina Smith, mayor of Westmount and another signatory of the letter.
She emphasized that Housefather’s track record of community support and his vocal stance on issues like antisemitism and hate speech are the reasons she is backing him.
On Wednesday, Housefather responded to the letter, calling it “very touching.” He said he hopes to gain support from across the political spectrum.
“I hope to win re-election. I hope to win a substantial majority, and I hope people will again look at my long record of service,” he said.
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