Summary: A former Bloc Québécois stronghold with a formidable Conservative candidate running, Richmond-Arthabaska is a definite riding to watch in Quebec this election.
Boundaries: A large riding to the east of Drummondville and north of Sherbrooke, it includes all of the regional county municipalities of Les Sources and Arthabaska. The main population centre is Victoriaville.
Last Election: Bloc Québécois MP André Bellavance was just one of four BQ candidates elected, defeating NDP candidate Isabelle Maguire by 717 votes to win a fourth term. However, Bellavance resigned from the party last year to become an independent, and is not running again.
History: The riding was created prior to the 1997 election from a variety of electoral districts in eastern Quebec. Prior to Bellavance’s election in 2004, it had been held by André Bachand as a Progressive Conservative from 1997 to 2003. When the PC and Canadian Alliance merged in 2003, he chose to sit as an “Independent Progressive Conservative” for the duration of his term.
Candidates
Conservative: Alain Rayes, Mayor of Victoriaville since 2009
NDP: Myriam Beaulieu, agricultural specialist
Liberal: Marc Desmarais, vice-president of Sussex Strategy Group
Green: Laurier Busque
Bloc Québécois: Olivier Nolin, biologist pursuing a law degree
Rhinoceros: Antoine Dubois
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