Justin Trudeau, the Prime Minister of Canada and Leader of the Liberal Party, has represented the riding since the 2008 federal election.

At nine square kilometres (900 hectares), it covers the second smallest area of any federal riding in Canada after Toronto Centre.

[4] The district includes the neighbourhoods of Villeray and Park Extension, as well as the southern part of the old city of Saint-Michel in the Borough of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension.

The central part of the riding, around Villeray, was Bloc Québécois territory for almost two decades before swinging heavily to the NDP in the 2011 federal election.

[citation needed] Except for the years 2006 to 2008, when it was held by Vivian Barbot of the Bloc, the seat has been in Liberal hands since 1953.