Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher

Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher occupied the eastern portion of the city of Longueuil on Montreal's south shore, taking in parts of the boroughs of Le Vieux-Longueuil and Saint-Hubert. The riding sat along the St. Lawrence River directly across from Montreal's east end, connected to the island by the Louis-Hippolyte Lafontaine Bridge-Tunnel.

Candidates

Pierre Nantel (NDP) — Nantel came from a background in the cultural and media industries, having worked as a researcher and television commentator, including work at Radio-Canada. He entered the 2011 campaign as part of the NDP's ambitious Quebec slate.

Jean Dorion (Bloc Québécois) — A sociologist, diplomat, and prominent Quebec sovereignty advocate, Dorion brought a long public career to the riding. He served as president of the Société Saint-Jean-Baptiste de Montréal from 1989 to 1994 and again from 2003 to 2008, championing cultural and linguistic preservation. Between his two SSJB tenures, he served as Quebec's Delegate General in Tokyo from 1994 to 2000. A polyglot who spoke six languages, Dorion was first elected to the House of Commons in the 2008 election and served as the Bloc Québécois critic for Foreign Affairs.

Kévan Falsafi (Liberal) — Falsafi carried the Liberal banner in Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher for the 2011 campaign.

Richard Bélisle (Conservative) — Bélisle ran as the Conservative candidate in the riding.

Valérie St-Amant ran for the Green Party and Serge Patenaude for the Marxist-Leninist Party.

About the Riding

Longueuil—Pierre-Boucher was an urban and suburban riding on Montreal's south shore, centred on one of Quebec's largest cities. The city of Longueuil had a population of roughly 231,000 in 2011 and formed the core of the Longueuil agglomeration. The riding's character was shaped by its mix of older residential neighbourhoods in Vieux-Longueuil — with their tree-lined streets and post-war housing stock — and the more sprawling suburban development in the Saint-Hubert sector.

The local economy was heavily influenced by the aerospace industry. Pratt & Whitney Canada, the aircraft engine manufacturer, had its headquarters in Longueuil and was the area's top employer with approximately 5,000 workers. Héroux-Devtek, a manufacturer of landing gear and other aerospace components, also had a significant presence with about 550 employees. The Canadian Space Agency's headquarters in neighbouring Saint-Hubert added to the riding's aerospace cluster. The Saint-Hubert Airport, a general aviation facility and former military base, anchored the area's aviation infrastructure.

The riding was predominantly francophone, with a growing immigrant population concentrated in the Vieux-Longueuil sector. Many residents commuted to Montreal via the bridge-tunnel or by public transit. The Bloc Québécois had held the riding since its creation in 2004, and Jean Dorion's one-term incumbency was challenged by the NDP's province-wide momentum heading into 2011.