Glengarry—Prescott—Russell

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell is a predominantly rural and bilingual riding in eastern Ontario, stretching from the Quebec border along the Ottawa River to the outskirts of Ottawa. According to the 2021 census, the riding’s population is roughly evenly split between anglophones and francophones. The seat was held by Amanda Simard, who won it for the Progressive Conservatives in 2018 but left the PC caucus in November 2018 over the Ford government’s decision to eliminate the French-language services commissioner and cancel plans for a new French-language university. She sat as an independent before joining the Ontario Liberal Party in January 2020, setting up a highly personal rematch in 2022.

Candidates

Stéphane Sarrazin (Progressive Conservative) — Sarrazin was the mayor of the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet and served as the 2021 Warden of the United Counties of Prescott and Russell. Before entering municipal politics, he founded Hydro 2000 Inc., a company overseeing electricity distribution in the villages of Alfred and Plantagenet.

Amanda Simard (Liberal) — Simard is a bilingual lawyer who holds a Juris Doctor from the University of Ottawa. She grew up in Embrun and worked on Parliament Hill from 2009 to 2017, including as a policy advisor. She served on Russell Township council before her 2018 provincial election victory and briefly served as parliamentary assistant to the Minister of Francophone Affairs before her departure from the PC caucus.

Alicia Eglin (NDP) — Eglin was a 23-year-old hospitality worker from Ottawa confirmed as the NDP candidate in May 2022. She identified francophone language rights and opposition to a planned cement plant near L’Orignal as key local issues.

Victor Brassard (New Blue Party), Thaila Riden (Green Party), and Stéphane Aubry (Ontario Party) also ran.

Local Issues

French-language services dominated the political landscape in this riding throughout the 2018–2022 term. The Ford government’s November 2018 decision to cut the independent French-language services commissioner and cancel a planned French-language university provoked a strong backlash in the riding’s francophone communities. Simard’s floor-crossing in response to these cuts became a defining moment in local politics and remained a central campaign issue four years later. The government partially reversed course by creating the Université de l’Ontario français, which opened in Toronto in 2021, but critics argued that broader access to government services in French remained insufficient.

Rural infrastructure gaps were a persistent concern. Candidates and residents highlighted the lack of complete high-speed broadband internet and cellular coverage across the riding, a problem that became more urgent during the pandemic when remote work and schooling exposed connectivity gaps. Access to natural gas service for homes and businesses in more remote parts of the riding was also flagged as an ongoing infrastructure deficit.

A proposed cement plant near L’Orignal generated environmental opposition among area residents. Healthcare access in the riding’s rural communities was another recurring issue, with residents facing long distances to hospitals and specialist care. The riding’s agricultural producers also sought better access to government programs and information in French.