Qubec Solidaire will not be rushed onto campaign bus

Don't look for the Qubec Solidairebus on the campaign trail Aug.23 it will be parked.

Although campaigning begins Thursday, the QS bus is set to take off days later, after the other parties have hit the road.

A spokesperson for QS said everything's going according to plan.

"Our strategy is to start on the ground in Montreal," Stephanie Guvremont said.

With events planned in Montreal for those first few days of campaigning, she said keeping the bus parked is "economical and ecological."

"Our bus was always booked for Aug.31,"Guvremontsaid. "It was part of our strategy,"

Guvremontsaid sheisn't worried that staying in Montreal for the first few days of campaigning will hurt QS.

Laval University political science professor Thierry Giassonagreesthat QS staying put at the onset of campaigning isn't a misstep.

He said Rosemont and Hochelaga-Maisonneuve are two constituencies where the party will want to make gains.

The departure of Amir Khadir in Mercier means the party will need to mount "a more sustained campaign" there to retain the seat, he said. New candidate Ruba Ghazalis being introduced as part of that effort.

According toGiasson, the only thing QS will miss is the photo opportunity ofgetting on itsbus on Aug.23, when the other parties intend to.

Translated from a text by Radio-Canada'sAlexandre Duval