Bloc Québécois candidate Marilène Gill is the projected winner in the riding of Manicouagan.
Manicouagan is located in eastern Quebec and runs along the St. Lawrence River. It also surrounds the boundaries of Labrador. The riding includes Sept Iles and Baie Comeau. It has expanded slightly to the southwest in this election to include La Haute Cote-Nord.
Lake Manicougan, also known as the eye of Quebec, was formed by an asteroid eons ago. When viewed from above, it takes the shape of a ring. The impact crater is visible from space and serves as a Hydro-Quebec reservoir.
Manicouagan was created in 1966 from the former districts of Charlevoix and Saguenay.
Eighteen per cent of the riding’s population identifies as Aboriginal, with Montagnais (Innu) and Naskapi being some of the most common non-official languages spoken in the region. This riding is also home to the Innu Nikamu Festival.
Incumbent Bloc Québécois MP Marilène Gill was re-elected to represent Manicouagan in 2019. Gill, who first took the seat in 2015, beat Liberal candidate Dave Savard by 34.6 per cent. It was a close race for second and third place with Savard collecting 7,793 votes and Conservative candidate François Corriveau receiving 7,771 ballots.
The riding is a Bloc stronghold with the party winning every election since 1993, with the exception of 2011, when the orange wave swept Quebec.
Candidates
Bloc Québécois: Marilène Gill (incumbent)
Conservative Party: Rodrigue Vigneault
Free Party Canada: Bianca Girard
Green Party: No Candidate
Liberal Party: Thomas Gagné
NDP: Nichola St-Jean