MNA Bussière ‘probably’ seeking re-election

Gatineau MNA Robert Bussière said that he will “probably” run for re-election in the upcoming provincial election this October.

The Gatineau MNA for the CAQ has been doling out cash left, right and centre over the past several weeks, with funding for local road works, ski hills and money for cultural spaces, including just over $624,000 for La Fab in Chelsea.

But despite his latest Outaouais spending spree, he says it was all planned before he even thought about re-election.

“These are all announcements that we knew since early December,” said Bussière. “There are different funds that municipalities and non-profits or organizations have been requesting and certain answers are just starting to come in now. It has nothing to do with [the] election.”

Former Chelsea mayor Caryl Green recently announced that she is running for the Quebec Liberal party and hopes to be the running candidate for the Oct. 3 Quebec election. If she wins the nomination race, she’ll face Bussière in what could be a fun political race, with the two former mayors squaring off. The two were neighbouring mayors for eight years in the late 2000s, when Bussière was mayor of La Pêche.

“It’s a free world, a free country,” said Bussière when asked about Green running against him.

“I’ve known Caryl [Green] for quite a few years. We’ve worked together, we’ve sat together on council. I have nothing to say against her. I know she’s a hard worker. We all are. We’re devoted people.”

Bussière boasted that he will have brought in “hundreds of millions” of dollars of investments to the riding by the end of his mandate.