Drummond

Situated along the Saint-Francois River in Quebec's Centre-du-Quebec region, the riding of Drummond is anchored by the city of Drummondville, a manufacturing hub positioned midway between Montreal and Quebec City along the Highway 20 corridor. The riding encompasses the regional county municipality of Drummond, a territory of small towns, agricultural land, and a growing industrial base that has made Drummondville one of Quebec's most dynamic mid-sized cities.

Candidates

Francois Choquette (NDP) -- A teacher with a bachelor's degree in secondary education in French and history and a master's degree in literature, Choquette was first elected to represent Drummond in the 2011 federal election as part of the NDP's Quebec sweep, defeating Bloc Quebecois incumbent Roger Pomerleau. During his first term in Ottawa, he focused on official languages policy and served as a vocal advocate for francophone rights in Parliament.

Pierre Cote (Liberal) -- An import and export consultant based in the Drummond region, Cote carried the Liberal banner during a campaign in which Liberal support across Quebec was surging. He campaigned on his party's economic platform and pledged to bring federal investment to the riding.

Diane Bourgeois (Bloc Quebecois) -- A veteran parliamentarian who had previously represented Terrebonne--Blainville as a Bloc Quebecois MP from 2000 to 2011, Bourgeois was educated at the Universite de Montreal and the Ecole des Hautes Etudes Commerciales. A former teacher and chair of a regional CLSC, she sought to return to the House of Commons in a new riding after losing her previous seat in the 2011 NDP wave.

Pascale Dery (Conservative) -- A well-known television journalist who had worked as a reporter and anchor for TVA and Le Canal Nouvelles, Dery left broadcasting to enter politics. She had initially sought the Conservative nomination in Mount Royal before becoming the party's candidate in Drummond.

Emile Coderre (Green Party) -- Coderre carried the Green Party standard in the riding.

About the Riding

Drummondville's economy revolves around its robust manufacturing sector, with hundreds of firms operating in the region and a labour force heavily concentrated in industrial production, trade, and transportation. The city sits at the crossroads of Highways 20 and 55, giving it ready access to markets in Montreal, Quebec City, and the Eastern Townships. The riding had been a Bloc Quebecois stronghold for nearly two decades before the 2011 NDP wave swept the province, and the 2015 contest shaped up as a three-way battle reflecting Quebec's shifting political allegiances. Federal transfers, support for the manufacturing sector, and official languages policy were among the issues that animated the campaign.