CAQ threatening Liberal dynasty in Papineau

Pollssuggest the riding of Papineau in western Quebec could be prime for a change after 40 years of sending a Liberal to the province's National Assembly.

"Papineaudoes have the potential to swing over to the Coalition Avenir Qubec (CAQ)," said CBC pollster Eric Grenier.

Even the Liberal incumbent,Alexandre Irac, conceded his internal polling shows the race is tight.

Irac has no intention of giving up without a fight, however. He recently made a $170-million campaign promise to widen another 23-kilometre stretch of highway 50, one of the biggest irritants among voters in the region.

But even that promise may not be enough to seal the deal for the Liberals in Papineau.

Liberal lock slipping?

The Liberal Party has held all five western Quebec ridings since 1976.

This time, with polls predicting change across the province, Papineauvoters are telling pollsters they're flirting with the idea as well.

That's despite Irac'sconvincing win of50 per cent of the vote in 2014, with hisCAQrival coming in third behind the PartiQubcoiscandidate.

It was a much closer race in the 2012 election when Iracwon the riding with fewer than 200 votes.

"So it isn't an area where you'd expect to see a flip, but because of Papineau's history as sometimes a close riding, and its predominantly Francophone population, it does give the CAQ a chance to pick up one seat in westQuebec," Grenier said.

CAQ eyeingPapineau

The CAQhas had its eye on Papineau. Leader Franois Legaultmade an early appearance in the riding,using the local candidate's campaign launch to announce plans for a new hospital to serve the region.

The candidate, Mathieu Lacombe, is already known to voters as a former TVA host.

During a door-knocking campaign in the town of Chnville, Lacombesaid his public profile doesn't hurt.

"Sure, it's easier to begin the conversation because of my past as a reporter and journalist, but this is not what will make me win this election," he said.

At the door, he'squick to highlight theCAQ leader's embrace offederalism.

"The idea of [whether]Quebec should be a country is not very popular here.I understand that,"Lacombesaid.

PQ still relevant?

The PartiQubcoiscandidate, Yves Destroismaisons, said his party is prepared to addressboth health and education issues in the region, with a focus on attracting the right staffing.

At the door, he said he hears horror stories about voters trying to access health and community services in the riding's rural communities.

Destroismaisonstells voters not to count the party out, despite its poor polling this campaign.

Destroismaisons, aformer candidate for mayor of Saint-Andr-Avellin in 2017, is using the party's history of introducing progressive programs such as cheaper daycare to sway voters. To stand out further, he tells votersthe Liberals and CAQare interchangeable, pointing out that several candidates have switched between the two parties.

The candidate forQubecSolidaire, MlaniePilon-Gauvin, said she's hearing from a lot of undecided voters at the door.

"People are telling me they don't know for which party they will vote for," saidDestroismaisons. "But they say they want change."