Gaspesie--Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine

Stretching across the eastern reaches of the Gaspe Peninsula and out into the Gulf of Saint Lawrence to encompass the Magdalen Islands, this vast riding covers some of Quebec's most remote and scenically dramatic territory. Fishing villages, windswept coastline, and the red sandstone cliffs of the Iles de la Madeleine define a landscape where livelihoods have long depended on the sea, the forest, and a growing tourism industry.

Candidates

Diane Lebouthillier (Liberal) -- A social worker by training, Lebouthillier earned her degree in social work from the Universite de Moncton and spent years working at a community health clinic (CLSC) in Chandler, Quebec. She was elected prefect of the Le Rocher-Perce regional county municipality in 2010, a role that gave her broad experience in regional governance and economic development on the peninsula.

Philip Toone (NDP) -- The incumbent MP, Toone was elected in the 2011 NDP wave, defeating the Bloc Quebecois in a riding that had never before gone to the New Democrats. During his term, he championed employment insurance reform as a central issue for the riding's seasonal workforce and advocated for improvements to federal services in rural and remote communities.

Nicolas Roussy (Bloc Quebecois) -- Roussy ran on the Bloc platform with a particular focus on defending the employment insurance system and opposing federal reforms that he argued penalized seasonal workers in the region.

Jean-Pierre Pigeon (Conservative) -- Pigeon represented the Conservative Party in the riding.

Jim Morrison (Green Party) -- Morrison carried the Green Party banner.

About the Riding

The economy of Gaspesie--Les Iles-de-la-Madeleine depends heavily on commercial fishing -- particularly lobster, crab, and herring -- along with forestry and tourism. The seasonal nature of these industries makes employment insurance a perennial concern, and federal changes to EI eligibility rules introduced in 2012 and 2013 had provoked widespread anger among seasonal workers across the region. The Magdalen Islands, accessible only by ferry or air, face particular challenges related to isolation, transportation costs, and coastal erosion. Wind energy has emerged as a growing sector since Quebec's first wind farm was established at Cap-Chat in 1998, and the region hosts the Nergica wind energy research centre. Population decline, out-migration of young workers, and the fragility of a resource-dependent job market remain persistent challenges for the riding's communities.