Notre-Dame-de-Grace-Westmount voters will know their new Liberal candidate this Monday, who – barring a major twist – will almost certainly become their next MP, replacing Marc Garneau.

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A nomination notice was recently posted on the Liberal Party of Canada (PLC) website. The vote, which takes place between 12pm and 7pm on Monday, is reserved for members who received their PLC card before May 8th.

The current top-ranked candidate to replace the former astronaut is Anna Gainey, a close friend of Justin Trudeau’s circle who was once the party president.

Anna Gainey, the daughter of former Montreal Canadiens legend Bob Gainey, enjoys the support of heavyweights in the Trudeau administration.

Foreign Minister Mélanie Joly, for example, was campaigning by her side in the constituency earlier this week, according to the candidate’s social media.

His main rival would be Fred Headon, a candidate less well known to the general public but who would have an enviable track record in the private sector and the legal world.

Mr. Headon is currently Vice President and General Counsel for Labor and Employment Law at Air Canada and also holds a law degree from McGill University. He was also President of the Canadian Bar Association.

On her campaign website, Anna Gainey is described as “an ardent advocate of progressive public values ​​and policies, and has been for more than two decades,” we read.

At the PLC Congress last weekend, Mr^Me Gainey has been treated to photos taken by the Prime Minister’s official photographer Adam Scotti, in which she can be seen arm in arm with Trudeau cabinet ministers.

At least one elected member of the Quebec Liberal Party, Désirée McGraw, offered to support Ms.^Me Gainey.

The former astronaut announced his sudden departure from politics in March amid controversy after fighting with his own party to push through the views of Montreal’s English speakers in the debate over the new official language law.

Notre-Dame-de-Grace–Westmount is a relatively new constituency, resulting from a 2015 redistribution. The new boundaries include the former areas of Notre-Dame-de-Grâce-Lachine and Westmount-Ville-Marie and part of it “Outremont.

This sector has long been considered a liberal fortress. Marc Garneau won his last election with a support rating of over 50%.