Glengarry--Prescott--Russell

Glengarry--Prescott--Russell is a sprawling rural riding in eastern Ontario that stretches from the outskirts of Ottawa eastward to the Quebec border. Covering roughly 3,049 square kilometres, the riding encompasses the communities of Hawkesbury, Rockland, Casselman, Embrun, Russell, Alfred, Plantagenet, and the municipalities of North Glengarry and The Nation, among others. The riding is distinguished by its bilingual character — it is the only federal riding in Ontario with a francophone majority, and census data indicate that approximately two-thirds of the population can converse in both English and French.

The population of about 116,000 residents is distributed across a landscape of farms, small towns, and bedroom communities that serve the Ottawa employment market. The riding's western communities, particularly Rockland and Embrun, have grown rapidly as families seek affordable housing within commuting distance of the national capital.

Candidates

Francis Drouin (Liberal) — Born and raised in Hawkesbury, Drouin earned a diploma in business administration from La Cite collegiale and a bachelor's degree in commerce from the University of Ottawa. He worked as a special assistant to Ontario Premier Dalton McGuinty for four years and later joined a government relations firm as a communications consultant. Active in the Liberal Party since the age of seventeen, he served as president of the Young Liberals in Glengarry--Prescott--Russell. First elected in 2015, Drouin was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture in 2021.

Susan McArthur (Conservative) — A bilingual businesswoman with thirty-five years of experience in finance, real estate technology, and insurance, McArthur served as a corporate director for several Canadian public companies and as past chair of the Canada Revenue Agency Board of Management. She is a graduate of Western University and completed the ICD program at the Rotman School of Management. Raised in Hudson, Quebec, she was a first-time candidate in 2021.

Konstantine Malakos (NDP) — A first-generation Canadian who grew up in Peterborough working in his family's pizzeria, Malakos describes himself as a working-class activist. He previously ran as the NDP candidate in the riding in 2019 and campaigned on issues of income inequality, affordable housing, childcare, and climate action.

Brennan Austring (PPC) — A blue-collar worker with fifteen years of experience in the aerospace industry, Austring moved to the Glengarry--Prescott--Russell region in 2008 for work. He and his partner have four children and he focused his campaign on pandemic response policy and municipal autonomy.

About the Riding

Glengarry--Prescott--Russell is a riding defined by its francophone heritage and its agricultural economy. The area was settled by United Empire Loyalists, Scottish Highlanders, and French-Canadian farmers, and the bilingual character of the region persists to this day. Hawkesbury, the riding's easternmost town, sits directly across the Ottawa River from Grenville, Quebec, and the daily life of residents in this part of the riding is shaped by proximity to Quebec — French-language media, francophone institutions, and cross-border commerce are part of the fabric.

Agriculture is the backbone of the riding's economy. Dairy farming is particularly important in Prescott-Russell and Glengarry counties, and the region's farmers have historically been well-organized politically. Drouin's appointment as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Agriculture reflected the riding's agricultural identity and the importance of federal farm policy to local voters.

The riding's western communities have experienced a different kind of growth. Rockland, Embrun, and Russell have swelled with young families who commute to Ottawa for work, and this population growth has brought demands for improved infrastructure, transit connections, and public services. The tension between the riding's rural traditions and its emerging suburban character is a recurring theme in local politics.

Glengarry--Prescott--Russell has been a Liberal stronghold since 2015, when Drouin first won the seat. The riding's francophone majority has historically favoured the Liberal Party, though the Conservatives have been competitive, particularly in the anglophone southern portions of Glengarry County. The NDP and other parties have struggled to gain traction in this predominantly rural and moderate riding.