No photos of Trudeau on campaign signs in Montreal riding ahead of byelection

One familiar face is conspicuously absent from a federal byelection campaign in Montreal that could have major implications for the Liberal government.

As candidates embark on the home stretch of the campaign in LaSalle–Émard–Verdun, their election signs are everywhere — at major intersections, on side streets, fixed to lampposts, beneath stop signs.

Alongside photos of the candidates are images of their leaders: Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre, smiling against a backdrop of a Canadian flag; Bloc Québécois Leader Yves-François Blanchet, smiling against a pale blue backdrop; NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh, smiling against a backdrop of some sort of greenery.

But campaign signs featuring Prime Minister Justin Trudeau — smiling or otherwise — are nowhere to be found.

The riding, in Montreal's southwest, has long been a Liberal stronghold. Former cabinet minister David Lametti held it from 2015 until he resigned in January.

But with the Liberals lagging in the polls, LaSalle–Émard–Verdun could be up for grabs this time around, with one survey suggesting both the NDP and the Bloc are competitive. Voters will go to the polls on Sept. 16.

The absence of Trudeau images is not surprising for a governing party well into its third term, said former Liberal staffer Carlene Variyan.

«The early years of a governing party's life cycle tend to place the party leader at the centre of its branding, with the outer years being characterized by a greater focus on the party name and brand,» she said.

Photos of Trudeau have appeared on campaign signs in general elections past.

Andrew Perez, principal at Perez Strategies and a Liberal strategist, said he remembers volunteering during the 2015 campaign, when Trudeau first came to power. At the time, he