Although preliminary results from Elections Canada await the counting of mail-in ballots which began today, Sept.21, major media and polling sources agree that MP Cheryl Gallant has retained her seat in the riding of Renfrew-Nipissing-Pembroke. This is Gallant’s eighth consecutive win at the polls, in a riding that before her time used to be considered a safe Liberal seat. By 10:30 p.m. on election day, major news outlets were predicting another Liberal minority government for the country.
As of 10 a.m. on Sept.21, results are projected as follows: (with 2019 results are shown in brackets)
- Cheryl Gallant (Conservative)(incumbent) 50% – (Down from 52.72%)
- Jodie Primeau (New Democrat) 21% – (Up from NDP 2019 result of 14.9%)
- Cyndi Mills (Liberal) 19% – (Slightly down from 2019 Liberal Party result of 19.56%)
- David Ainsworth (People’s Party) 8% – (up from 2.48%)
- Michael LaRiviere (Independent – formerly Green Party) 2% – (Green Party 2019 result was 5.48%)
- Stefan Klietsch (Independent) 1% – (Up from 0.48%)
The short 2021 campaign was mostly uneventful in RNP, without any public meeting or debate that attracted the participation of every candidate. On the weekend before the election, candidate Michael LaRiviere was forced to withdraw from the Green Party after his comments about vaccination passports and he continued his run as an Independent. The other significant change evident from the figures above show the NDP continuing to gain ground in the riding. In 2019 NDP Candidate Eileen Jones-Whyte increased the NDP share of the vote by 6.34% and it appears that Deep River lawyer Jodie Primeau has gained at least the same amount in this election. David Ainsworth (PPC) appears to have quadrupled his vote share from the 2019 run.
Several days are required to certify and count all ballots, and The Current will report on the official results when they become available.
Riding profile at top courtesy 338Canada.com