Gustave Roy Wins Carleton Federal Liberal Nomination

By Jeff Morris

Registered members of the Liberal Party of Canada in the riding of Carleton have selected their candidate to challenge Conservative incumbent Pierre Poilievre in the next federal election.

Gustave Roy, who has private sector experience in the financial industry and in pharmaceutical sales and marketing, won the contested nomination last week. Hundreds of Carleton Liberal Party members took part in the virtual meeting.

Roy responded by delivering a positive and encouraging message to Carleton Liberals.

 “I believe that Carleton’s diverse communities deserve to be represented and have chosen a positive voice who is willing to work effectively with everyone,” Roy said. “Although the timing of the next federal election remains uncertain, I am wasting no time in getting ready. Liberals of Carleton have put their faith in me, and I do not plan to let them down. This election will be a choice between a positive vision of cooperation and collaboration for the riding, or a continuation of divisive politics.”

Roy was born in London, Ontario in 1974 and was raised in Quebec’s Eastern Townships city of Sherbrooke. The youngest of six children, his father was a mechanical engineering professor and his British-Canadian mother a homemaker. Roy says he regularly travelled to visit family in the UK and lived in both France and the Central African country of Rwanda. He received a Certificate in French Translation (1997) and a Bachelor of Arts (1998) from Carleton University. He also completed additional on-the-job training and licensing in securities trading while working for the Royal Bank of Canada and investment training as a business development manager for the Montreal Exchange. He joined Novartis Pharmaceuticals in 2004 as a sales consultant and held various other sales, marketing, and management positions.

Roy said that he has been thinking about entering the political world for a long time, but wanted to wait until he was ready.

“I first thought about it back in the early 2000s,” he said. “I’ve always been interested in politics but always wanted to have something to say.”

After building a strong career and a couple of decades worth of life experiences, Roy considered running in 2015 but thought the timing was not right. For this election, he said the timing is right, and he is exciting to throw his hat into the ring. One of his most valuable assets, he said, is his experience networking in business. He plans to use his networking skills as a political candidate. He has surrounded himself with individuals that give him a strong team.

“Starting relationships and collaborating and working with people around me have always been my key to success,” Roy said.

Coming from a big family, Roy knows the importance of having support at home. Going through the next election campaign will be something that will make him rely on his family for help and support, but also something that will bring his family together in a way they may never have been.

“It’s happening very organically,” he said of his family’s support. “We’re stronger together.”

 Roy joked that while election campaigns usually involve a lot of feet on the street and door knocking, the pandemic has turned him into more of a telelmarketer. He said that it is going well, and he is focused on a positive message.

“We are currently facing the two greatest challenges of our generation: the COVID-19 pandemic, and climate change,” he said. “We need leadership in this riding that recognizes the importance of those topics. My priorities in this campaign will be continuing to balance the economy and the environment, creating equitable access to prescription medication and childcare, as well as charting the post-COVID recovery.

“I can’t wait to get started, and am proud to represent Team Trudeau in Carleton,” he concluded.