Turtle Mountain (electoral district)

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Turtle Mountain is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created with the westward expansion of the province's borders in 1881, eliminated by redistribution in 1968, and re-established in 1979, formally returned to the electoral map with the provincial election of 1981.

Turtle Mountain is located in the southwestern region of the province. It is bordered to the north by Ste. Rose, to the west by Minnedosa and Arthur-Virden, to the east by Pembina, Carman and Portage La Prairie, and to the American state of North Dakota.

The riding is primarily rural. Communities in the riding include Killarney, Carberry, Glenboro, Pilot Mound and MacGregor.

The riding's population in 1996 was 18,569. As of 1999, the average family income was $43,265, and the unemployment rate was 3.50%. Agriculture accounts for 37% of all industry in the riding, followed by health and social service work at 9%. Thirteen per cent of the riding's residents are German.

Turtle Mountain has been represented by the Progressive Conservative Party for most of its history, and is considered safe for that party. The current MLA is Cliff Cullen, who was elected in a 2004 by-election.

[edit] List of provincial representatives

Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office
J.P. Alexander	Cons	1881	1883
Finlay Young	Lib	1883	1888
John Hettle	Lib	1888	1897
James Johnson	Independent Conservative	1897	1903
	Cons	1903	1915
George William McDonald	Lib	1915	1922
Richard Willis	Cons	1922	1929
Alexander Welch	Cons/PC	1929	1945
Errick Willis	PC	1945	1959
Edward Dow	Lib-Prog	1959	1961
	Lib	1961	1962
Peter J. McDonald	PC	1962	1966
Edward Dow	Lib	1966	1969
Brian Ransom	PC	1981	1986
Denis Rocan	PC	1986	1990
Bob Rose	PC	1990	1995
Merv Tweed	PC	1995	2004
Cliff Cullen	PC	2004	present