Glengarry—Prescott—Russell

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell stretches across eastern Ontario from the Ottawa River south to the St. Lawrence lowlands, covering a large expanse of predominantly rural territory along the Quebec border. Communities such as Hawkesbury, Rockland, Casselman, Embrun, Russell, Vankleek Hill, and Alexandria anchor the riding's dispersed population. The constituency stands out as the only federal riding in Ontario with a francophone majority, and bilingualism permeates daily life through schools, churches, media, and local government.

Candidates

Francis Drouin (Liberal) — Born and raised in Hawkesbury, Drouin earned a diploma in business administration from Collège La Cité and a bachelor of commerce from the University of Ottawa. He worked as a special assistant in the Ontario Premier's office before moving to government relations consulting and later served as director of government relations for Startup Canada. First elected in 2015, he entered 2019 as the incumbent.

Pierre Lemieux (Conservative) — A retired Canadian Forces lieutenant-colonel with a bachelor of mechanical engineering and a master of science from the Royal Military College of Canada, Lemieux had represented the riding from 2006 to 2015 before losing to Drouin. He served as parliamentary secretary to the ministers of Official Languages, Agriculture, and Veterans Affairs, and also worked as deputy government whip. Between his defeat and 2019, he had run in the 2017 Conservative leadership race on a platform of social conservatism and smaller government.

Konstantine Malakos (NDP) — A first-generation Canadian who grew up in Peterborough working in his family's restaurant, Malakos moved to the Glengarry area where he raised poultry on a farm. He was acclaimed as the NDP candidate in April 2019 and campaigned on workers' rights, income inequality, and affordable housing.

Marthe Lepine (Green Party) — Lepine was removed as the Green Party's official candidate during the campaign over social media posts that conflicted with party policy, though her name remained on the ballot under the Green banner.

Jean-Jacques Desgranges ran for the People's Party, Darcy Neal Donnelly for the Libertarian Party, Daniel John Fey as an Independent, and Marc-Antoine Gagnier for the Rhinoceros Party.

About the Riding

The riding's bilingual character dates to French-Canadian settlement in the eighteenth century, and francophone cultural institutions remain vital across Prescott-Russell and Glengarry counties. Agriculture forms the economic backbone, with dairy farming especially prominent. Federal farm policy, including the supply management system that protects dairy producers, was a perennial issue. The 2019 contest represented a rematch between Drouin and Lemieux, who had held the seat for nearly a decade before the 2015 Liberal wave unseated him.

The riding's western communities of Rockland, Embrun, and Russell had been growing rapidly as Ottawa commuters sought more affordable housing within driving distance of the national capital. This population influx brought suburban concerns about infrastructure, transit, and school capacity into a riding traditionally defined by its agricultural and francophone character. Hawkesbury, at the eastern end, maintained close economic and cultural ties to Quebec, with the Ottawa River bridging the two provinces.