Beating Peter Penashue in Labrador by-election would be first win for Trudeau’s Liberals

Now that the hullabaloo surrounding the rise of Justin Trudeau is behind them, the Liberal Party of Canada can turn their attention toward the by-election in Labrador, which could be the first win for the newly-focused party.

Liberal candidate Yvonne Jones is currently polling ahead of former Tory MP Peter Penashue, who resigned last month after admitting his campaign accepted illegal donations during their 2011 federal election campaign.

His resignation prompted a by-election on May 2 which, it turns out, will be the first contest involving the Trudeau-led Liberals. CBC News reports that a VOCM-Abacus Data Labrador poll found that 63 per cent of respondents were set to support the Liberal candidate.

Penashue held only 20 per cent of the support, while the NDP candidate held 17 per cent.

The results of the by-election may say more about a Conservative candidate embroiled in a spending scandal than it does about a Liberal rebirth under Trudeau. Still, the party seems prepared to throw its full weight into the riding.

[ Related: Conservatives attacked over silence on Penashue project ]

Near the crescendo of his victory speech on Sunday, Trudeau turned his attention to a small riding in Eastern Canada and whispered a single, telling sentence.

“To my friends in Labrador, I look forward to seeing you soon,” he said, to which several hundred Liberal party supporters from across the country applauded.

It was only one of a number of references to the by-election made during the leadership convention. Former interim leader Bob Rae took aim at the riding his exit speech, and a small group of volunteers spent the day weaving through the crowd collecting donations to help with Jones’ campaign.

[ Political Points: Trudeau faces off against Harper, responds to attack ads ]

In Question Period on Monday, Liberal MP Scott Andrews also took aim at comments recently made by Penashue, in which he suggested he held up projects in Newfoundland in order to benefit his Labrador riding.

The off-topic response from Tory MP Pierre Poilievre touched on killing the long-gun registry and supporting the seal hunt,but not so much about which project Penashue played politics with.

“This is a solid track record of delivering for his constituents and now he will have an opportunity to defend that record of achievement in front of them,” said Poilievre.

Penashue is campaigning on that track record, and it could lead to Trudeau's first win as Liberal leader.