The members of the municipal council of the small, Western Quebec town of Fort-Coulonge chose Debbie Laporte to succeed Gaston Allard as mayor. She becomes the first woman in the history of the municipality to hold this position.

Debbie Laporte had been accumulating tasks, usually associated with the office of mayor, for several months. Among other things, she represented the municipality of Fort-Coulonge at the table of mayors of the MRC Pontiac since last spring.

Gaston Allard submitted his resignation on Nov. 11, after he was no longer able to perform his duties as mayor. Debbie Laporte had been the pro-mayor for three years and has also been a councilor since 2005. The title of pro-mayor now goes to councilor Nathalie Denault.

Before this, the municipality of Fort-Coulonge has not seen much change in its recent history. Hector Junior Soucie was mayor from 1968 to 1999 and Raymond Durocher held this same position between 1999 and 2017.

The municipal elections in Quebec are scheduled for Nov. 7, 2021.