By Canadian Press

Some facts and figures about the federal riding of Becancour-Nicolet-Saurel

Oct 6, 2019 | 4:21 AM

Becancour-Nicolet-Saurel

The longest-serving member of the House is from a party that was only supposed to be around for the time it took to sever Quebec’s ties with the rest of Canada. But 28 years later, Louis Plamondon, 76, and the Bloc Quebecois are still here and hoping to take advantage of a struggling NDP to increase the party’s seat count in the October vote. First elected to this riding with the Progressive Conservatives in 1984, Plamondon switched parties for the Bloc’s inaugural 1991 election and has been there ever since.

Population: 94,588 (Elections Canada)

Major communities: Regional County Municipality of Nicolet-Yamaska, Pierre-De Saurel and Becancour.

Incumbent: Louis Plamondon, Bloc Quebecois.

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Main challengers: Nathalie Rochefort, president of non-profit immigrant welfare organization running with the Liberals; entrepreneur Pierre-Andre Emond for the Conservatives; Carole Lennard for the NDP; and social therapist David Turcotte with the Greens.

Election history: Louis Plamondon won his first election in 1984 with the Progressive Conservatives, when the riding was called Richelieu. He won the following election in 1988 and then kept the riding once again in 1991 after switching to the Bloc. He’s won the subsequent eight elections with the Bloc.

Fun fact: Quebec’s police academy is located in the riding and it serves as a training centre for the province’s enforcement officers, including prison and courtroom constables, detectives, local police as well as officers who serve Indigenous communities.

The Canadian Press