A wake-up call for the Liberals

But believe it or not, Mulcair's easy victory in the hitherto Liberal stronghold is a harsh reality that the federal Liberals will have to face over the coming months as the possibilities of yet another election are weighed. The truth, however hard to swallow for any die-hard Liberal, is that this NDP victory signals the end of the once-sacred notion that certain ridings can be considered 'safe'; that the party can rely on the unwavering loyalty of the vast majority of its constituents, no matter what.

Mulcair clearly deserved to win; his experience in Quebec City, not to mention his commitment to the environment, gave him an advantage over Liberal hopeful Jocelyn Coulon. But being the better candidate is no guarantee of victory, especially in this province.

The big question here, of course, is what does this mean for Westmount? Outremont is quite close in its political leanings and socio-economic character, the biggest difference being that it is predominantly French-speaking. But this time its voters did not send a Liberal to Parliament. Could that ever happen here?

The answer is yes — especially since there is currently no one on board to replace MP Lucienne Robillard, who has confirmed that she will not be running in the next election. The idea of the Liberals bringing in a hand-picked candidate for the easy ride to Ottawa on the Westmount ticket has been met with opposition from constituents who want to choose their own candidate — preferably someone who actually lives here.

Add to this the undeniable popularity of local NDP candidates like Eric Steedman, whose relatively strong showing in this riding turned many heads in the last federal election, and you have the recipe for another 'safe' riding going the way of Outremont. And from there, others are sure to follow.

Never mind the Bloc and Conservatives — if the NDP can win in Montreal, the federal Liberals are in deep trouble, with or without Stéphane Dion at the helm.