Saint-Jean

Saint-Jean is a riding in the Montérégie region of Quebec, centred on the city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, located approximately 40 kilometres southeast of Montreal along the Richelieu River, roughly halfway between Montreal and the Vermont border. The riding encompasses the city and surrounding communities in the Haut-Richelieu regional county municipality.

Candidates

Tarik Brahmi (NDP) — Born in 1968, Brahmi was an engineer by profession. He ran for the NDP in the riding in 2011.

Claude Bachand (Bloc Québécois) — The incumbent MP and one of the longest-serving Bloc Québécois members in Parliament, first elected in 1993. Born in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu in 1951, Bachand studied physical education at the Université de Montréal and worked as an educator at Renfort from 1975 to 1993 before entering politics. He also held leadership roles in regional development organizations, serving as first vice-president of the Société montérégienne de développement from 1987 to 1992. During his nearly two decades in Parliament, Bachand served as the Bloc's critic for national defence—a particularly relevant portfolio given the military character of the riding—as well as critic for Aboriginal affairs and northern development. He was re-elected in 1997, 2000, 2004, and 2008.

Jean Thouin (Conservative) — The Conservative Party candidate in the riding.

Robert David (Liberal) — The Liberal Party candidate in the riding.

Pierre Tremblay (Green Party) — The Green Party candidate in the riding.

About the Riding

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, with a population of approximately 92,000 in 2011, straddles both banks of the Richelieu River at the northernmost navigable point of Lake Champlain. The city has a deep military history and identity. The Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, where nearly 8,000 recruits from across the country begin their military careers each year, is located in the garrison. The Royal Military College Saint-Jean, originally established in 1952, is also situated in the city. The defence industry generates an estimated 1,500 direct jobs and over $200 million in annual revenue for the region. Beyond the military sector, the city's economy encompasses manufacturing, retail, and services, though a decline in secondary manufacturing since the early 1980s has been a persistent challenge. Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu is internationally known for the International de Montgolfières, Canada's largest hot air balloon festival, held each August and drawing visitors from across the country. The Richelieu River valley has historical significance as a military corridor dating to the colonial era, with Fort Saint-Jean among the oldest military installations in the country. The population is overwhelmingly francophone, with French as the mother tongue of over 92 percent of residents. The riding's proximity to Montreal via Highway 35 and its position near the U.S. border make it both a commuter community and a gateway for cross-border commerce.