Russell (Manitoba provincial electoral district)

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for other electoral districts with similar names, see Russell (electoral district).

Russell is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It is located in the southwestern section of the province.

1 Historical Riding
2 List of provincial representatives
3 Modern Riding
4 List of provincial representatives

[edit] Historical Riding

The original Russell riding was created in 1886, shortly after the expansion of Manitoba's western boundaries. It existed until 1957, when it was combined with the riding of Birtle as Birtle-Russell. The riding was primarily agrarian, and elected candidates from various parties who supported agrarian interests.

[edit] List of provincial representatives

Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office

Edward Leacock	Cons	1886	1888
James Fisher	Lib	1888	1889(?)
	Independent/Opposition	1889(?)	1896
	Cons	1896	1899
Henry Mullins	Cons	1899	1903
W.J. Doig	Lib	1903	1907
Angus Bonnycastle	Cons	1907	1914
Donald C. McDonald	Lib	1914	1915
William Wilson	Lib	1915	1922
Isaac Griffiths	Prog	1922	1932
	Lib-Prog	1932	1941
William Wilson	Lib-Prog	1941	1949
Rodney Clement	Independent Lib-Prog	1949	1954(?)
	Lib-Prog	1954(?)	1958

[edit] Modern Riding

The riding of Birtle-Russell lasted from 1957 to 1979, and the subsequent riding of Roblin-Russell from 1979 to 1999. In 1999, the Roblin section of the riding was joined with Dauphin as Dauphin—Roblin, and a separate Russell riding was re-established.

The modern riding is bordered to the north by Dauphin—Roblin, to the east by Ste. Rose, to the south by Minnedosa and Arthur-Virden, and to the west by the province of Saskatchewan. The town of Russell is the main urban centre in this riding, which also includes Birtle, Inglis, Angusville, Rossburn, Erickson, Oakburn, Shoal Lake and Hamiota. The Riding Mountain National Park and Asessippi Provincial Park are also located in Russell.

The riding's population in 1996 was 18,647. As of 1999, the average family income was $39,999, and the unemployment rate was 6.10%. Russell remains primarily an agrarian riding, with agriculture accounting for 32% of its industry.

Fourteen per cent of the riding's residents are aboriginal, and a further 13% are Ukrainian. The riding also has the second-highest percentage of senior citizens in Manitoba, at 21% of the total.

The current MLA is Len Derkach of the Progressive Conservative Party, who previously held the riding of Roblin-Russell from 1986 to 1999. The New Democratic Party have made serious inroads in recent years, however, and the seat may be regarded as marginal.