Trio of By-elections a Crucial Test for Major Parties

Three by-elections being contested today should give some clues as to how the Liberals, NDP, and Conservatives will fare during the next federal vote.

Elections in the ridings of Winnipeg North and Vaughan today are expected to be hotly contested, while a third vote in Manitoba’s Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette riding should be an easy victory for the Conservatives. Vaughan has been held by the Liberals since the Toronto-area riding was created in 1997, but former OPP chief Julian Fantino has a good chance of stealing the riding for the Conservatives, despite being labeled a ‘peekaboo’ candidate by his opponents. Fantino has kept out of the spotlight and declined to attend several debates. A Liberal loss in Vaughan would be a powerful indictment of Michael Ignatieff’s leadership. In Winnipeg North, the NDP’s Kevin Chief is fighting strong challenges from the Tories and Grits.