Profile 10: Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie

c9's Pretty Clearly Left-Leaning Riding Write-ups!

Riding: Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie
Map: http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/maps/P24061.pdf
More info on your riding

Riding 24061, Rosemont—La Petite-Patrie, is a solid separatist seat. The economic base is manufacturing and retail trade. More than 17 per cent of the population has a university degree, while almost 14 per cent has less than a Grade 9 education. Rentals outnumber homeowners in this riding, 76 per cent to 24 per cent. The average family income is $47,892 and unemployment is 9.4 per cent.

According to the 2001 census, 76 per cent of the population have French as a mother tongue, while almost three per cent cited English, more than four per cent spoke Spanish and two per cent spoke Italian. The total immigrant population is more than 17 per cent.

Population: 103,458

In 2004, Bloc Québécois MP Bernard Bigras captured 60 per cent of the vote to defeat Liberal Christian Bolduc and win a third term.

In the former Rosemont riding, Liberal Claude-André Lachance, incumbent from Lafontaine, won in 1979 and 1980. In 1984, Progressive Conservative Suzanne Blais-Grenier was elected. She was appointed minister of environment in 1984 and minister of state for transport in 1985. She resigned from cabinet in 1985 and was expelled from the PC caucus in 1988 after she refused to withdraw allegations of kickbacks within the Quebec wing of the party. From that time, she sat as an Independent. In 1988, PC Benoît Tremblay won, but he left the PC caucus after Meech Lake failed and became a founding member of the Bloc Québécois in 1990. In 1993, Tremblay won for the BQ.

(writeup above primarily from cbc.ca)

2006 Candidates:
Bernard Bigras (Bloc Québécois) (incumbent)
Marc-André Gadoury (Green Party of Canada)
Suzanne Harvey (Liberal Party of Canada)
Chantal Reeves (New Democratic Party)
Michel Sauvé (Conservative Party of Canada)
Hugô St-Onge (Marijuana Party)

Recent Election Results:

	BQ	LIB	CPC	PC	CA	REF	NDP	OTHER
2004	61.8%	22.9%	3.1%				7.7%	4.5%
2000	49.1%	33.8%		4.2%	2.9%		3.0%	6.9%
1997	47.0%	32.2%		15.6%			3.3%	1.9%

Prior to 1997, the area's MP was: BQ (1993-present), PC (1984-1993), and Liberal (1979-1984).

The results say it all. Bloc Québecois all the way. Note the right-wing vote is beaten by the NDP *and* OTHER in 2004, and OTHER trashes them all in 2000!

www.electionprediction.org says: Bloc. No question at all.

In this riding, vote for the party you want to get funding. Even if everybody voted only Liberal or BQ, the outcome would be obvious.

Hot Issue: Equal Marriage. The incumbent is supportive. Egale Canada gives him an A, and his party a B+.


( Explanations and non-riding-specific information )

Disclaimer: Your vote is your choice. If you think I'm wrong go ahead and (a) comment about it, and (b) vote your heart. I can take it.

Profile 11: Calgary Centre

c9's Pretty Clearly Left-Leaning Riding Write-ups!

Riding: Calgary Centre
Map: http://www.elections.ca/scripts/pss/maps/P48006.pdf
More info on your riding

In riding 48006, nearly 21 per cent of people are immigrants, with a wide range of ethnocultural groups represented.

The service sector is the major employer here. Nearly 24 per cent of residents hold a university degree. Average family income was $85,530 in 2001, and unemployment was 5.1 per cent.

Population: 117,439

In 2004, Conservative candidate Lee Richardson defeated Liberal Julie Turnbull.

The former Calgary Centre was Tory territory from 1968 to 1993, and was dominated for 21 of those years by Harvie Andre, who held a number of cabinet positions in PC governments. The Reform took over in 1993 and 1997. In 2000, the Tories returned, with then-leader Joe Clark unseating Eric Lowther by 4,304 votes.

(writeup above primarily from cbc.ca)

2006 Candidates:
Trevor Grover (Canadian Action Party)
John N. Johnson (Green Party of Canada)
Heesung Kim (Liberal Party of Canada)
Brian Pincott (New Democratic Party)
Lee Richardson (Conservative Party of Canada) (incumbent)

Recent Election Results:

	LIB	CPC	PC	CA	REF	NDP	OTHER
2004	29.9%	51.2%				8.5%	10.5%
2000	9.8%		46.0%	38.5%		2.8%	2.7%
1997	32.6%		18.6%		40.1%	6.1%	2.6%

Prior to 1997, the area's MP was: Reform (1993-2000), and PC (1968-1993).

Pretty conservative in its winners, but still a strong showing by non-right-wing parties (for Alberta, that is). Green got 10% in 2004. Crazy! There's no wondering which way the riding will go this time, it'll be Tory again for sure.

www.electionprediction.org says: Conservative, no contest.

In this riding, the NDP typically runs third. A vote for the Liberals will likely have little effect, so vote for the party you wish to have funding.

Hot Issue: Equal Marriage. The incumbent is not supportive, but did receive a C from Egale Canada for GLBT support. His party got an F, so that's something.


( Explanations and non-riding-specific information )

Disclaimer: Your vote is your choice. If you think I'm wrong go ahead and (a) comment about it, and (b) vote your heart. I can take it.