Pierrefonds/Dollard's long-time federal Liberal MP Bernard Patry said any rumours about his not running again in the riding or being on the 'outs' with the Grits' Quebec-area lieutenant Denis Coderre should be taken with a grain of salt.
"It's a mountain out of a mole hill," he said.
In an interview with The Chronicle, Patry acknowledged Coderre had been talking openly of having fresh faces in some Montreal-area ridings.
"He's telling the media that he wants some new MPs running in some ridings," he said.
Patry said he was surprised to see his name appear as one of the MPs being considered for replacement at the West Island riding he has held since 1993.
"He must not forget that I have received a letter from my leader, Michael Ignatieff, saying that I am a candidate," he added.
Patry said the focus of Coderre's talks to the media were on the Outremont riding, which is currently held by the New Democratic Party's second-in-command Thomas Mulcair.
Unlike his counterpart in Lac St. Louis, Francis Scarpaleggia, Patry has not had an official nomination as the party's candidate in Pierrefonds/Dollard yet. "That doesn't mean anything," he said.
Next week, the Liberal Party will attempt to vote the government down on a Parliamentary Opposition Day, Patry said, and if a federal election is called, he may just receive a letter from the party confirming he is the candidate for the area rather than go through a ceremonial nomination process.
Patry has known Coderre for many years. "I was even present at his wedding," he said.
"He had his 30th birthday at my house," he added.
Coderre, who holds the Bourassa riding as Liberal MP since 1997, was tapped to be Ignatieff's Quebec lieutenant shortly after the latter took the party's leadership reins, in January 2009. He had supported Ignatieff publicly in the latter's original bid for leadership in 2006, when he lost to Stéphane Dion. Coderre turned down an offer to be Quebec lieutenant by Dion when he took control of the party at that time.
Though Patry supported Gérard Kennedy, and then Stéphane Dion in 2006, he said this should not be taken as indicative of any disagreements between he and Ignatieff. "It's nothing really," he said, repeating that Ignatieff sent him a letter certifying he is the official candidate.
Various media reports earlier this week cited anonymous "Liberal sources" stating Coderre wanted Patry and other Liberal MPs in "safe" Liberal ridings out in order to re-energize the Liberal brand by bringing in new "star" candidates.
Pierrefonds/Dollard has voted for the Liberal Party in large majorities since 1993. It had only elected a Conservative MP, Gerry Weiner, once, in 1988.
In last year's federal election, new Conservative candidate Pierre-Olivier Brunelle managed to raise the most votes for his party on the Island of Montreal, earning 25.65 per cent of voters' intentions, but still largely behind Patry's 46.85 per cent.
It is unclear who Conservatives would choose to run again in the riding were there another election. "We have some names, but nothing has been finalized," said Conservative Party spokesperson Beatrice Pepper.
Coderre did not return telephone calls for comment.
