Algonquin-Renfrew-Pembroke voters re-elected Conservative Party candidate Cheryl Gallant to her ninth consecutive term Monday night. She is shown with husband, Jamie, left, campaign manager Bernard Doyle and daughter, Amelia Walsh at a victory gathering in Pembroke.

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Pembroke – Cheryl Gallant won her ninth consecutive election Monday, holding onto the riding again by a comfortable margin.

Algonquin–Renfrew–Pembroke voters re-elected the 64-year-old Conservative to her ninth consecutive term, defeating the Liberal Party’s Cyndi Mills in her second bid for the seat. After more than two decades in office, the Conservative candidate is still going strong.

Mrs. Gallant won by a large margin, earning over half of the riding’s votes—36,455, or 55.6 percent of the total. Her share of votes increased sizably since the last election, up 6.1 points from 49.9 percent in 2021.

The MP-elect arrived at Fresco’s Tap and Grill just before 11 p.m. Monday night, where her supporters gathered for a viewing party. When asked how she felt about her win, she put it quite simply, saying she was “exhilarated.”

“It’s been a long, hard race, a lot of door knocking. But all the work pays off,” she said. “Just like in life: when you work hard, you have a great life and a wonderful house in a good neighbourhood on safe streets. That’s what we’re working for all Canadians to have.”

While the federal election went her way locally, Mrs. Gallant will sit in opposition once again. Despite a minority Liberal government not being the result she hoped for, she still has big plans for the next four years.

“Of course, we were hoping for a majority so we could get Canada back on its feet and start our 100-day plan to cut taxes and make life more affordable for people,” she said. “Stop the crime, build the houses and fix the budget, so that everyone can have a great life in Canada.”

On the campaign trail, she heard many express concern about the rising cost of living.

“They said, ‘We definitely need to do something because prices are getting out of control. We can’t afford our groceries anymore,’” she explained. “It’s tough. No one ever would have thought this would happen to Canada, and here we are.”

She promised to continue fighting to keep taxes low in the upcoming term.

Mrs. Gallant will mark her 25th anniversary as the riding’s Member of Parliament this fall—an experience she described as “truly humbling.” Looking back to her first year in office, she said she’s most proud of her advocacy for two crucial Valley institutions.

“They were looking at closing both Canadian Forces Base Petawawa and AECL (Atomic Energy of Canada Limited). So we had to get to work strengthening those two entities because they are the largest employers, and of course, very important to Canada,” she explained.

“Over the years we’ve grown. Instead of closing down Petawawa, we added regiments; we’ve got the 450 Helicopter Squadron. AECL has become CNL (Canadian Nuclear Laboratories) and is undergoing a renaissance—shifting from a wartime experimental station to producing life-saving technologies,” she added.

Mrs. Gallant is set to return to Parliament Hill as one of the longest-serving MPs in the House of Commons. Preparing to enter her ninth term with a renewed mandate and a quarter-century of political experience, she shows no signs of slowing down.