Conservatives choose Guy Dufort to run in Westmount

Dufort's nomination was confirmed during a riding association meeting at the Atwater Library on Monday afternoon, St. Patrick's Day.

Dufort is a lawyer with 35 years' experience in labour, employment and aboriginal law, and he has been a partner in the Heenan Blaikie law firm since 1973. He represents a variety of clients in a broad range of business sectors, including radio and television, aerospace and the food industry.

Dufort was an active member of the former Progressive Conservative Party and served as president of its Quebec wing under then-leaders Jean Charest and Joe Clark from 1994 to 1999. He was also a candidate in Hull-Aylmer for the party in the 2000 general election. "Back in 1958, the last Conservative MP was elected in this riding," said Dufort. "And that's exactly 50 years ago on March 31. He also happened to be Irish … I believe in omens. I was introduced by two people who have Irish blood … So I believe that, unfortunately, I may have to have a transfusion — but I'd do that voluntarily." "We know this is not a riding we have won in the past, but this won't stop us; it won't stop Guy from working very hard," said Senator Michael Fortier, the federal minister responsible for the Montreal region, who introduced Dufort.

In 1988, according to riding association president Bob White, Conservatives came within a whisker of winning Westmount-Ville Marie, but lost by 800 votes. White predicts that in 2008, the Conservatives will regain the riding. "One of the reasons we're going to win the election is that we have a very good candidate," he said, adding that the contest is most likely to be in the form of a by-election, since the current Liberal MP, Lucienne Robillard, resigned in January. She has been replaced on the ballot by former astronaut Marc Garneau. "We are going to try and influence the decision-makers in the party for what would be good for us," he said. "Nonetheless, we have an entire organization in place to win the riding."

Describing his roots in the area, Dufort said he has run his legal office in the riding for more than 35 years. "Even when my main port of call was Ottawa, I always kept an office here in Westmount-Ville Marie and I commuted between the two cities. It was important for me … I was also educated in the riding."

While agreeing with the Conservatives' get-tough stance on violent crime, Dufort also expressed concern for social issues, including the state of homeless people on Montreal's streets. "Not in Westmount proper, but in downtown Montreal, there's a lot of homeless people roaming around," he said.