Bloc Québécois Nominates Former Uyghur World Congress VP for Laurier-Sainte-Marie By-election
Zumretay Arkin, the former vice-president of the World Uyghur Congress, is entering federal politics as the Bloc québécois candidate in the Montreal riding of Laurier–Sainte-Marie, La Presse reported.
Bloc québécois Targets Vacant Seat in Montreal
Party leader Yves-François Blanchet announced the candidacy on a Sunday morning at Place Vauquelin in Montreal, according to Le Devoir. The Bloc québécois hopes to capture the riding left vacant by the departure of former Liberal member of parliament and minister Steven Guilbeault. While the federal government under Mark Carney prepares to announce six upcoming by-elections across Canada—including three in Quebec, two in Ontario, and one in Saskatchewan—the electoral writ has not yet been officially dropped by the Chief Electoral Officer.
Laurier–Sainte-Marie holds historical significance for the Bloc québécois. Former party leader Gilles Duceppe held the riding from 1990 to 2011 before it shifted to the New Democratic Party and the Liberals. Arkin, who arrived in Quebec at the age of ten, has spent years advocating for the self-determination of the Uyghur people on the international stage. She stated that the cultural and linguistic values of the riding align closely with her own background of growing up in Montreal and spending considerable time in the area.
Past Results and Opponents in Laurier–Sainte-Marie
The upcoming contest follows a Liberal victory in the 2025 federal general election. During that vote, Guilbeault secured the seat with 52.1 percent of the ballots cast. Nimâ Machouf finished second with 18.8 percent, while Bloc québécois candidate Emmanuel Lapierre took 15.4 percent, and Conservative candidate Mathieu Fournier garnered 9.2 percent.
Machouf, an epidemiologist, returns as the New Democratic Party candidate following an internal nomination meeting in July. This campaign marks her fourth run in Laurier–Sainte-Marie, having previously contested the riding in 2019, 2021, and 2025 without success.
Simultaneous By-Elections Across Quebec
Laurier–Sainte-Marie is not the only Quebec riding preparing for an imminent electoral battle. Another contest is scheduled for Rosemont–La Petite-Patrie to replace former New Democratic MP Alexandre Boulerice, who transitioned to provincial politics to sit at the National Assembly under the banner of Québec solidaire. Alexandre Curzi, general manager of the Union des artistes, will carry the Bloc québécois banner in that riding.
The exact dates for the six federal by-elections remain unconfirmed by the federal administration.