The local federal Conservative Party riding association held their nomination meeting at the Shawville Lions Hall on December 14, selecting Brian Nolan as their candidate for Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi in the next election. Nolan was one of four candidates vying for position, competing with Brian Goodman, Jean-Nicolas de Bellefeuille and Michel Gauthier.
He said that he did a lot of his campaigning in the western portion of the riding, from Luskville up to Sheenboro, and said that he would be travelling the region extensively in the new year.
Nolan said that while the election has to take place next fall at the latest, he anticipated a vote of non-confidence in the government to come early next year. He expressed concern about the size of the deficit that was announced in the fall economic statement on Monday.
The Liberal party has held the riding since 2015, and in the 2021 election, Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel won with 26,899 votes (43%) compared to Gauthier, who finished second with 12,804 votes (21%).
