Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi (formerly known as Pontiac) is a federal electoral district in western Quebec, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1867 to 1949 and since 1968.
In every election since its creation except 1979 and 2011, Pontiac has been a bellwether electoral district whose electoral winner also was a member of the winning party.
History The electoral district existed over three distinct periods: It was created by the British North America Act 1867 which preserved existing electoral districts in Lower Canada. It was redistributed into the new electoral districts of Pontiac—Témiscamingue and Villeneuve in 1947. In 1966, an electoral district of Pontiac was created from Pontiac—Témiscamingue and parts of Gatineau and Labelle. Then, in 1978, it was renamed "Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle". In 2003, the electoral district of Pontiac was created again during a redistribution of the ridings in western Quebec.
Pontiac lost territory to Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation and gained territory from Hull—Aylmer and Gatineau during the 2012 electoral redistribution.
Following the 2022 Canadian federal electoral redistribution, the riding was largely replaced by Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi. The new name refers to the reserve of Kitigan Zibi. It lost Val-des-Monts to Argenteuil—La Petite-Nation and that part of the City of Gatineau west of Montée Paiement to the riding of Gatineau, and gained the rest of the Plateau neighbourhood from Hull—Aylmer.
Geography The electoral district includes: the regional county municipality of Pontiac the Regional County Municipality of La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, including Rapid Lake and Kitigan Zibi indian reserves that part of the City of Gatineau northwest of a line following Montée Paiment to Autoroute 50 to Boulevard la Vérendrye Ouest. that part of the City of Gatineau northwest of a line following Promenade de la Gatineau to Boulevard Saint-Raymond to Chemin Pink to Boulevard des Grives to Boulevard des Allumettières to Chemin Eardley the regional county municipality of Les Collines-de-l'Outaouais (excepting L'Ange-Gardien and Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette)
The neighbouring ridings are Abitibi—Témiscamingue, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, Saint-Maurice—Champlain, Laurentides—Labelle, Argenteuil—Papineau—Des Collines, Hull—Aylmer and Gatineau (in Quebec) and Kanata, Carleton, and Algonquin—Renfrew—Pembroke (in Ontario).
Demographics According to the 2021 Canadian census, 2023 representation
Racial groups:78.5% White, 8.4% Indigenous, 6.6% Black, 2.3% Arab, 1.3% Latin American Languages: 65.8% French, 29.2% English, 1.6% Arabic, 1.3% Spanish Religions: 63.6% Christian (48.8% Catholic, 1.7% Anglican, 1.6% United Church, 1.2% Christian Orthodox, 10.2% Other), 3.9% Muslim, 31.1% None Median income: $47,200 (2020) Average income: $56,550 (2020)
Members of Parliament
This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:
Election results
Pontiac—Kitigan Zibi
2021 federal election redistributed results Party Vote % Liberal 23,154 43.86 Conservative 11,296 21.40 Bloc Québécois 8,011 15.17 New Democratic 5,990 11.35 People's 2,364 4.48 Green 1,531 2.90 Free 394 0.75 Canada's Fourth Front 44 0.08 Rhinoceros 7 0.01 Independent 2 0.00 Total valid votes 52,793 98.84 Rejected ballots 620 1.16 Registered voters/ estimated turnout 81,562 65.49
Pontiac, 2003–present
2011 federal election redistributed results Party Vote % New Democratic 23,809 47.27 Conservative 13,189 26.19 Liberal 7,649 15.19 Bloc Québécois 4,810 9.55 Green 823 1.63 Others 87 0.17
Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle, 1979–2003
Pontiac, 1968–1979
Pontiac, 1867–1948
See also List of Canadian electoral districts Historical federal electoral districts of Canada
References
Campaign expense data from Elections Canada Riding history from the Library of Parliament: Pontiac 1867–1947 Pontiac 1966–1978 Pontiac—Gatineau—Labelle 1978–2003 Pontiac 2003–present 2011 Results from Elections Canada
Notes