Chambly—Borduas

Chambly—Borduas is a federal electoral district in Quebec’s Montérégie region, situated along the Richelieu River approximately 25 kilometres southeast of Montreal. The riding takes in the towns of Chambly, Beloeil, Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Carignan, Otterburn Park, Richelieu, Saint-Basile-le-Grand, McMasterville, and several surrounding municipalities. The area is steeped in early Canadian history, with Fort Chambly — a stone fortification dating to 1709 and designated a National Historic Site — standing on the banks of the Richelieu.

Candidates

Matthew Dubé (NDP) — Born in Montreal in 1988, Dubé was a McGill University student completing a bachelor’s degree in political science with a minor in history at the time of the 2011 election. He had been elected co-president of NDP McGill in September 2010 and president of the Quebec Young New Democrats in November 2010. Outside of politics, he had coached junior-league soccer and hockey for several years. He was one of five McGill students elected to Parliament in the 2011 NDP wave in Quebec.

Yves Lessard (Bloc Québécois) — A businessman and union adviser from Barville, Quebec, Lessard had represented Chambly—Borduas since his first election in 2004. During his time in Parliament he served as the Bloc’s critic for Human Resources and Skills Development and was active on employment insurance and poverty reduction issues, notably seconding a private member’s bill aimed at eliminating poverty in Canada.

Jean-François Mercier (Independent) — Mercier is a well-known Quebec comedian, screenwriter, and television host. His independent candidacy attracted significant media attention, and a late-campaign poll showed him drawing roughly 15 per cent support in the riding. Among his more colourful campaign pledges was a promise to build a second Mercier Bridge, playing on the shared surname.

Bernard DeLorme (Liberal) and Nathalie Ferland Drolet (Conservative) also ran in the riding. Nicholas Lescarbeau ran for the Green Party.

About the Riding

Chambly—Borduas is a predominantly francophone, suburban-to-semi-rural riding with strong commuter ties to Montreal. Chambly, the riding’s namesake community, sits on the Richelieu River and has a population of roughly 26,000, with an economy historically rooted in milling and textiles that has shifted toward recreational tourism and residential development. Beloeil, across the river, is a similar-sized town whose residents increasingly commute to Montreal. Mont-Saint-Hilaire is known for the Gault Nature Reserve, managed by McGill University, which protects approximately 1,000 hectares of old-growth forest on and around the Monteregian hill. Saint-Basile-le-Grand, which retains significant agricultural land, offers commuter rail service to Montreal. The Richelieu River and the historic Chambly Canal — built in 1843 to bypass rapids between Chambly and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu — are both recreational and heritage assets. The riding experienced significant flooding along the Richelieu in the spring of 2011, which was a pressing local concern in the weeks before the election. Other federal issues of interest included employment insurance reform and support for commuter rail infrastructure.