Ottawa—Vanier

Ottawa—Vanier is a federal electoral district in eastern Ottawa, Ontario, that has been represented in the House of Commons since 1935. The by-election was called following the death of Liberal MP Mauril Belanger on August 15, 2016. Belanger, who had represented the riding since 1995, died from amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS). The Speaker's warrant regarding the vacancy was received on August 23, 2016.

Candidates

Mona Fortier (Liberal) — Born in 1972, Fortier worked as Chief Director of Communications and Market Development for La Cite collegiale in Ottawa prior to her election. She served as president of the Ottawa—Vanier Liberal riding association and had been an advisor on the Alex Munter mayoral campaign in 2006. She became the first woman to represent the riding since its boundaries were drawn in 1935.

Emilie Taman (NDP) — A former federal Crown prosecutor and law professor at the University of Ottawa's Faculty of Common Law, Taman had previously run in Ottawa—Vanier in the 2015 general election. She specialized in federal regulatory and economic crime prosecutions during her career with the Public Prosecution Service of Canada.

Adrian Paul Papara (Conservative) — Papara held an MBA from the University of Ottawa and worked as a director of operations for Alberta Conservative MP Tom Kmiec. He had been involved in Conservative campaigns in Ottawa—Vanier in recent years.

Nira Dookeran (Green Party) — The Green Party candidate in the by-election.

About the Riding

Ottawa—Vanier encompasses the eastern and central portions of Ottawa, generally corresponding to the wards of Rideau-Rockcliffe and Rideau-Vanier, plus the neighbourhood of Blackburn Hamlet. The riding includes the historic communities of Vanier, Lower Town, Overbrook, and Rockcliffe Park, as well as the Beechwood Village area.

The riding has a large Franco-Ontarian population, particularly in Vanier, Overbrook, Lower Town, and surrounding neighbourhoods. It is one of the most solidly Liberal ridings in Canada, having elected Liberal members continuously since 1935. The community is also home to significant Indigenous and newcomer populations.

As part of the National Capital Region, many residents are employed in the federal public service. The riding includes several embassies and diplomatic residences in the Rockcliffe Park area, as well as the Rideau Hall grounds. The community of Vanier, formerly an independent city amalgamated into Ottawa in 2001, has long served as a centre of francophone life in the capital.