Madawaska - Restigouche

This predominantly rural riding borders Quebec to the north and runs from the U.S. border to Baie des Chaleurs in the east. It encompasses the communities of Campbellton, Saint-Jacques and Edmundston, as well as the shipping port of Dalhousie.

More than 80 per cent of the residents listed themselves as francophone in the 2006 census. Just over two per cent are immigrants.

The economy is diverse and depends mainly on manufacturing, retail, health and social services. The pulp and paper industry is also important. Unemployment is 12.6 per cent and the average family income is $57,471.

This riding was formed in 1996 by combining portions of the old Madawaska-Victoria and Restigouche-Chaleur ridings. In the 2004 redistribution, the riding lost a handful of residents to Miramichi.

Population: 62,593 (2006 census; a decrease of 5% since 2001)

Political History

Voters returned Liberal Jean-Claude D'Amours in 2006, but only by a slim margin. D'Amours beat Jean-Pierre Ouellet by less than 1,000 votes.

D'Amours first claimed the seat in 2004. Liberal Jeannot Castonguay won in 2000, unseating Tory Jean Dubé by nearly 5,500 votes. Dubé had won the riding by a similar margin in 1997.

In Madawaska-Victoria, Liberals had reigned from 1968-84, when Tory Bernard Valcourt won office. Valcourt was ousted by Liberal Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais in 1993. In Restigouche-Chaleur, Liberals had won every election save for one since 1968.

Riding established in 1996 redistribution.

• 1997 - PC
• 2000, 2004, 2006 - LIB