By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
The Liberal Party of Canada secured a minority government in the April 28 federal election, claiming 169 seats as of 3:30 p.m. on April 29—just three short of the 172 required for a majority. The party captured 43.7 per cent of the popular vote nationwide, while the Conservatives trailed slightly with 41.3 per cent. In the Eastern Townships, Liberals maintained their stronghold, winning three of six ridings and placing a close second in another.
In Sherbrooke, incumbent Élisabeth Brière was re-elected with 51.4 per cent of the vote, comfortably ahead of Bloc Québécois candidate Pierre-Étienne Rouillard (26.6 per cent) and Conservative Esteban Méndez-Hord (13.1 per cent). “This one was very, very special for me,” Brière said in an April 29 interview. “It’s an honour to serve the population of Sherbrooke.” She emphasized housing and affordability as key priorities moving forward, stating, “When you tackle this issue, it’s more than having a roof over your head—it’s about security, access to employment, and health.”
In Compton–Stanstead, Liberal newcomer Marianne Dandurand captured 45.5 per cent of the vote, beating Bloc candidate Nathalie Bresse (26.4 per cent) and Conservative Jacques Painchaud (21.9 per cent). Dandurand, who called the campaign “the most incredible adventure I’ve ever had,” said her win reflects strong local support for the Liberal Party, Mark Carney, and her own ties to former MP Marie-Claude Bibeau. “It’s very humbling and a big sense of responsibility that I have,” she said. She cited agriculture, cell phone connectivity, and the region’s unique Francophone-Anglophone makeup as priorities she will take to Ottawa. “Our region is unique… it needs to be heard in Ottawa.”
Brome–Missisquoi was also retained by the Liberals, with Louis Villeneuve receiving 48.2 per cent of the vote. Bloc candidate Jeff Boudreault followed at 28.2 per cent, with Conservative Steve Charbonneau finishing third at 19.0 per cent.
In Shefford, the Bloc Québécois reclaimed the riding by a razor-thin margin, with Andréanne Larouche receiving 39.8 per cent of the vote—just ahead of Liberal Felix Dionne, who garnered 38.9 per cent. The Conservative candidate, James Seale, trailed with 17.8 per cent. At the time of her interview, Brière said she was “still waiting and pressing my finger for Felix,” noting that Liberals had secured “a strong team in the Eastern Townships” regardless.
Further east, both Mégantic–L’Érable–Lotbinière and Richmond–Arthabaska remained in Conservative hands. In Mégantic–L’Érable–Lotbinière, incumbent Luc Berthold won decisively with 58.7 per cent of the vote, ahead of Liberal Charles Mckaig (21.5 per cent) and Bloc candidate Réjean Hurteau (16.3 per cent). In Richmond–Arthabaska, Eric Lefebvre retained the riding with 35.5 per cent, beating Liberal Alain Saint-Pierre (33.0 per cent) and Bloc candidate Daniel Lebel (27.3 per cent).
Nationally, the Bloc Québécois held 22 seats, the NDP 7, and the Green Party 1. As of the last update, voter turnout stood at 68.22 per cent across Canada, with more than 19.4 million ballots cast. In the Townships, voter turnout ranged between 66.88 per cent and 70.38 per cent.
Brière expressed optimism about interparty cooperation, despite the minority result. “I’m sure we will be able to work in collaboration with the other parties,” she said, adding that many had promised as much during the campaign. Dandurand echoed the sentiment, stating, “We’ve worked with a minority government over the last two mandates. We can do it—but everyone must admit that since last fall, it’s been impossible to work in Parliament. Hopefully, it won’t be like that moving forward.”
Both Liberal MPs signalled that, after a short pause to thank volunteers and remove campaign signage, they plan to get back to work immediately. Dandurand summed up the spirit of the Liberal campaign in the region: “I took nothing for granted. I kept working and meeting with people. It was a privilege.”
