Louis-Saint-Laurent

This riding encompasses the northwest and central part of Quebec City and is bounded by the Quebec City limits in the northwest and the north. Its southwest boundary is the former northern and eastern border of Ste-Foy. The southern boundary is the Autoroute Félix-Leclerc. The boundary in the east is the former western border of Lac-St-Charles, the former western border of St-Émile and the former southwest border of Charlesbourg. Wendake Reserve is in the eastern part of the riding.

The provincial government is a major employer, with retail trade and tourism also playing a significant role in the local economy. The average family income is $75,661 with an unemployment rate of 4.1 per cent.

More than 96 per cent of the population cited French as a mother tongue in the 2006 census, while less than two per cent cited English. The aboriginal population is just under one per cent. The total immigrant population is slightly more than two per cent.

The riding of Louis St. Laurent was created in the 2004 redistribution from 67 per cent of Quebec East and 23 per cent of Portneuf. The riding was established in 1867 as Quebec East.

Population: 96,286 (2006 census; an increase of 2.1% since 2001)

Political History

Conservative Josée Verner won a decisive victory in 2006, winning 57 per cent of the vote and unseating Bloc Québécois incumbent Bernard Cleary.

In 2004, Cleary defeated Verner to win his first term in office.

In 2000 in Quebec East, Liberal Jean Guy Carignan defeated BQ candidate Jean-Paul Marchand by 647 votes. In 2001, it was learned that Carignan was charged with drunk driving and hit-and-run the day of the election. In November 2001 he pleaded guilty to a hit-and-run charge. In December 2001 he resigned from caucus after being sentenced to one year of community service.

Quebec East was the riding held by Sir Wilfrid Laurier from the 1877 byelection to 1919. He was prime minister from 1896-1911. This is also the riding another former prime minister, Louis St. Laurent, held from 1942 to 1957. Liberal Gerard Duquet served six terms as MP from 1965-84. Progressive Conservative Marcel Tremblay won in 1984 and 1988, but was defeated in 1993. In 1993 and 1997, the BQ's Jean-Paul Marchand was elected.

Quebec East:

• 1867 - CON
• 1870 byelection - LIB
• 1872 - CON
• 1874-1957 inclusive - LIB
• 1958 - PC
• 1962, 1963 - SC
• 1965-80 inclusive - LIB
• 1984, 1988 - PC
• 1993, 1997 - BQ
• 2000 - LIB

Louis-St. Laurent:

• 2004 - BQ
• 2006 - CON