By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Sherbrooke Citoyen leader and mayoral candidate Raïs Kibonge introduced the party’s candidates for the upcoming November 2025 municipal elections in Sherbrooke’s Lennoxville borough during a June 19 press conference at Centennial Park.
Guillaume Lirette-Gélinas, current councillor for Fairview, announced he will be seeking a second term, while newcomer Daniela Fernandes will run in Uplands.
“Guillaume turned his first term into an opportunity for innovation. Daniela brings a sensitivity to social issues and a fresh perspective,” said Kibonge. He praised the pair for their commitment to citizen-centred and community-driven politics.
Lirette-Gélinas highlighted his first-term accomplishments, including protecting the borough’s bilingual status, launching the Fairview Citizens’ Assembly, and supporting the arts through grants and outdoor cinema screenings. “I promised to bring politics closer to the people, and that’s exactly what I did,” he said. For his second term, he plans to focus on a business succession grant for students at Champlain, Bishop’s, and Cégep de Sherbrooke, and to enhance flood resilience by improving local hydrographic infrastructure.
Fernandes, an education advisor at Champlain College and PhD candidate, said she was running to deepen her community involvement. “Sometimes we work in the field and we want to make a difference, to do a little more. For me, especially in this community that welcomed me, it’s time to give back,” she said.
Her platform includes improving pedestrian safety—particularly on Queen Street, where she said poor lighting makes winter crossings dangerous—promoting intergenerational programming with local schools, and opening new avenues for citizen participation. “Every citizen has a role to play in improving our neighbourhood,” she said.
In the question period that followed, journalists pressed both candidates on deeper motivations and challenges, especially surrounding Lennoxville’s linguistic identity.
Asked about the future of bilingualism in the borough, Lirette-Gélinas acknowledged the growing concern. “More and more, anglophone citizens feel isolated,” he said. “Here in Lennoxville, we’ve always lived in harmony, but there’s still work to be done, especially in bridging the gap between students and long-time residents.” He emphasized the progress already made in building those connections.
The Record questioned why both candidates chose to run under the Sherbrooke Citoyen banner rather than as independents—a topic often debated in the region. Fernandes said the party’s collaborative structure appealed to her as a first-time candidate. “I would feel more secure with a team that is already working, that is knowledgeable and will support me,” she said.
Kibonge also weighed in. “There was a poll last year that showed most people just want things to get done,” he said. “Being in a party allows us to support each other, to share experiences. When Guillaume talks about Lennoxville in caucus, it helps us all understand why we must preserve bilingual status, why these things matter.”
He added that Sherbrooke Citoyen values transparency. “In 2021, we promised to preserve bilingualism—and we did. It wasn’t a campaign line, it was a belief we acted on.”
In closing, Lirette-Gélinas reflected on what he had learned since being elected in 2021. “Don’t be shy. Reach out to people, even if they seem intimidating—ministers, officials—because what’s happening in your borough matters,” he said. “And always be ready to collaborate.”
