Saint-Jean

Saint-Jean is a federal electoral district in the Montérégie region of Quebec, extending along the Richelieu River southeast of Montreal. The riding's major population centre is Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu, a city of roughly 98,000 that serves as a regional hub, along with smaller communities including Mont-Saint-Grégoire, Lacolle, Saint-Alexandre, and Saint-Paul-de-l'Île-aux-Noix. With a total population of approximately 103,000 and an area of 734 square kilometres, the riding blends urban, suburban, and rural landscapes.

Candidates

Christine Normandin (Bloc Québécois) — First elected in 2019, Normandin holds a bachelor's degree in biomedical sciences and a bachelor's degree in law. Before entering politics, she worked as a lawyer specializing in domestic and international family law. She previously conducted fundamental research on melanoma in India during her biomedical studies. In Parliament, she has served as the Bloc's deputy house leader and its critic for national defence.

Patrick Agbokou (Liberal) — Agbokou arrived in Canada 18 years ago and built his career in Quebec's public sector as an enterprise architect in the Health and Social Services Network. He holds a master's degree in computer science from UQAM and also operates a technology company and a non-profit organization, Accès Mondial à l'Eau Potable, which works on global access to clean drinking water.

Marie Louis-Seize (Conservative) — Louis-Seize spent 30 years as a union leader during a 35-year career at Bell Canada. She describes herself as a moderate conservative and has run as a Conservative candidate in multiple federal elections in Quebec ridings.

Danielle Dubuc (NDP) — Born in Calgary, Dubuc has lived in the Saint-Jean riding since childhood. She retired after more than 35 years as a border services officer, primarily at the Lacolle crossing on Route 15. She served as vice-president for equity for workers of colour at the Canadian Labour Congress and has been active in the Public Service Alliance of Canada and the Quebec Federation of Labour for over three decades.

Vincent Piette (Green Party) — Piette represented the Green Party of Canada in Saint-Jean, campaigning on environmental sustainability and green infrastructure investment.

About the Riding

Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu has deep military roots. The Saint-Jean Garrison houses the Canadian Forces Leadership and Recruit School, where more than 7,000 recruits begin their military careers each year, as well as the Royal Military College Saint-Jean. The defence sector generates an estimated 1,500 direct jobs and over $200 million in annual revenue for the region, making it a cornerstone of the local economy.

The city is also known for the International Hot Air Balloon Festival, one of the largest ballooning events in the world and a major regional tourism draw. The Richelieu River, a historic waterway that played a strategic role in early Canadian military history, remains central to the riding's identity.

In 2025, the federal campaign in Saint-Jean focused on defence spending and military procurement—issues of direct local importance given the garrison's presence—alongside housing affordability, cost of living, and agricultural trade protections. The riding's proximity to the US border at Lacolle also made cross-border trade, customs operations, and the impact of American tariffs particularly salient issues.