Berthier—Maskinongé

Berthier—Maskinongé extends along the north bank of the St. Lawrence River between the northern suburbs of Montreal and Trois-Rivières, straddling the Lanaudière and Mauricie regions. The riding takes in the regional county municipalities of D'Autray and Maskinongé, incorporating towns such as Berthierville, Louiseville, and Maskinongé along with rural farming communities. The population of roughly 107,000 is almost entirely francophone, and the landscape alternates between fertile agricultural lowlands along the river and boreal forest to the north.

Candidates

Yves Perron (Bloc Québécois) — First elected in 2019, Perron was seeking a third term. A teacher for 25 years, he taught economics, history, and geography before entering politics, and holds a bachelor of science with a major in economics. He served as national president of the Bloc Québécois during the party's rebuilding period and, since 2021, has been the Bloc's critic for agriculture, agri-food, and supply management—a role of particular importance in this farming-heavy riding.

Stéphane Bilodeau (Liberal) — A political science graduate from Université Laval, Bilodeau built a career in retail management in Quebec's food sector before becoming a real estate broker. He previously served as campaign director for a Liberal candidate in Repentigny during the 2015 election and was acclaimed as the party's candidate.

Ruth Ellen Brosseau (NDP) — One of the most recognizable figures of the 2011 NDP Orange Wave, Brosseau was famously elected in the riding at age 27 despite having never visited the constituency. She went on to earn respect as a hardworking MP, became the party's agriculture critic, and was re-elected in 2015 before losing to Perron in 2019 and again narrowly in 2021. Her 2025 candidacy marked a fifth consecutive run in the riding.

Peter Saliba (Conservative) — Saliba carried the Conservative standard in Berthier—Maskinongé, campaigning on the party's platform of fiscal responsibility and support for agricultural producers.

Elia Gomez-Gnali (People's Party) — Gomez-Gnali represented the People's Party of Canada, running on reduced government spending and opposition to carbon pricing.

Daniel Simon (Green Party) — Simon ran for the Green Party, advocating for environmental sustainability and support for organic agriculture in a region where farming is central to the economy.

About the Riding

Agriculture is the backbone of Berthier—Maskinongé's economy, with dairy farms, grain crops, and mixed farming operations dotting the St. Lawrence lowlands. The northern portion of the riding adds forestry and some manufacturing, with about 30 percent of jobs in the Maskinongé MRC tied to the manufacturing sector. The riding is also known for its rich cultural heritage, including traditional Québécois folk festivals and a strong association with rural Quebec identity.

The 2025 race was defined by the Perron-Brosseau rivalry, one of the most compelling personal contests in Quebec federal politics. Brosseau's return to the riding for a fifth campaign—announced in early April with the public backing of NDP leader Jagmeet Singh—underscored the NDP's hope of recapturing a seat it held from 2011 to 2019. Key issues included the defence of agricultural supply management against potential US trade demands, housing affordability in communities that were once among Quebec's most affordable, rural healthcare access, and broadband connectivity for farming communities still underserved by high-speed internet.