Renfrew - Nipissing - Pembroke

This eastern Ontario riding lies next to the Ottawa River and the Quebec border north of Ottawa. It covers more than 12,000 square kilometres.

It contains Renfrew County and part of the Territorial District of Nipissing, including the communities of Pembroke, Deep River, Renfrew, Petawawa and Arnprior. The eastern part of Algonquin Park, CFB Petawawa, Atomic Energy Canada and the Petawawa National Forestry Institute are in the riding.

The economy is dominated by government institutions, manufacturing, retail trade and the service sector. About 4.5 per cent of the population is francophone. The 2006 census shows an average family income of $69,347 and an unemployment rate of 6.7 per cent.

The riding was established in 1976.

Population: 98,803 (2006 census; an increase of 2.5% since 2001)

Political History

This riding has elected Conservative candidate Cheryl Gallant in the past three elections. In 2006, she received 57 per cent of the vote and beat Liberal Don Lindsay.

In 2004, Gallant defeated Liberal Rob Jamieson.

This was one of only two Ontario ridings to elect a Canadian Alliance MP in 2000. Gallant defeated Liberal incumbent Hec Clouthier by 2,423 votes. Clouthier ran as an Independent in 1993 and lost to Liberal Len Hopkins. He had wanted to seek the Liberal nomination, but couldn't get Jean Chrétien's support. Hopkins was MP from 1965 to 1997.

From 1979 to 1997, the riding voted Liberal. The former riding of Renfrew North was Liberal from 1935.

• 1979-97 inclusive - LIB
• 2000 - CA
• 2004, 2006 - CON