Labrador (electoral district)

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Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador electoral district


Labrador in relation to other Newfoundland and Labrador ridings
Federal electoral district
Legislature House of Commons
MP       Todd Russell
Liberal
District created 1949
First contested 1949
Last contested 2006
District webpage profile, map
Demographics
Population (2006) 26,364
Electors (2006) 19,774
Area (km²) 294,330
Pop. density (per km²) 0.09
Census divisions Division No  1
Census subdivisions Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador City

Labrador (formerly known as Grand Falls—White Bay—Labrador and Grand Falls—White Bay) is a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949.

Contents

[edit] Demographics

This riding is the least populous in Canada.

Ethnic groups: 65.1% White, 34.9% Native Canadian
Languages: 90.0% English, 1.7% French, 7.9% Other
Religions: 67.4% Protestant, 28.4% Catholic, 3.4% No affiliation
Average income: $27 138

[edit] Geography

The district includes all of Labrador, including Belle Isle, North and South Aulatsivik Island.

The neighbouring ridings are Nunavut, Abitibi—Baie-James—Nunavik—Eeyou, Manicouagan, and Humber—St. Barbe—Baie Verte.

According to Elections Canada, the boundaries of this riding for the 39th General Election (2006) are:

"Consisting of all that part of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador known as Labrador, including Belle Isle."

See the map of the Labrador riding.

[edit] History

The electoral district was created in 1949 upon the admission of Newfoundland to Canada. Between 1949 and 1988, this district was attached to the Island of Newfoundland, where more than half of its electorate resided. From 1972, it was held by Liberal Bill Rompkey. When he was appointed to the Canadian Senate in 1995, a by-election was held, and Lawrence O'Brien was elected. He held the district until his death in 2004.

A by-election was held on May 24, 2005, with the result tipping the balance of the evenly split 38th Parliament. The Liberal candidate, Todd Russell, who was heavily favoured, ended up winning, but with a reduced percentage from the 2004 election.

[edit] Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:

Parliament Years Member Party
Dominion of Newfoundland prior to 1949
Grand Falls—White Bay
21st 1949-1953     Thomas Asbourne Liberal
Grand Falls—White Bay—Labrador
22nd 1953-1957     Thomas Asbourne Liberal
23rd 1957-1958
24th 1958-1962     Charles Granger Liberal
25th 1962-1963
26th 1963-1965
27th 1965-1966
1966 vacant
1966 By-election 1966-1968     Andrew Chatwood Liberal
28th 1968-1972     Ambrose Peddle Progressive Conservative
29th 1972-1974     Bill Rompkey Liberal
30th 1974-1979
31st 1979-1980
32nd 1980-1984
33rd 1984-1988
Labrador
34th 1988-1993     Bill Rompkey Liberal
35th 1993-1996
1996 vacant
1996 By-election 1996-1997     Lawrence O'Brien † Liberal
36th 1997-2000
37th 2000-2004
38th 2004
2004-2005 vacant
2005 By-election 2005-2006     Todd Russell Liberal
39th 2006-

[edit] Labrador, 2006 election results

Canadian federal election, 2006
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Todd Russell 5768 50.53 -0.95
     Conservative Joe Goudie 4528 39.67 +7.34
     New Democrat Jacob Edward Larkin 1037 9.08 -0.81
     Green Gail Zwicker 82 0.72 +0.08
Total valid votes 11 415 100.0%
Total rejected ballots 52 0.45%
Turnout 11 467 58.4% +4.6%


^ Change is from the 2005 by-election

[edit] Labrador, 2005 by-election

On December 16, 2004, MP Lawrence O'Brien died of cancer. Prime Minister Paul Martin called a federal by-election for May 24, 2005. There was a possibility the by-election will not be held because of a non-confidence vote the week prior, that would have toppled the government, sending Canadians to the polls, and would have superseded the by-election. However, the motion failed by one vote, ensuring a by-election in Labrador.

[edit] Issues

The seat has traditionally been a Liberal stronghold, and O'Brien always carried the riding with comfortable pluralities. However, the federal Liberals had lost popularity in Atlantic Canada since the 2004 federal election, largely due to disputes with the Progressive Conservative provincial governments of these provinces, especially that of Newfoundland and Labrador over the relationship between offshore petroleum revenues and equalization payments.

Historically, governing parties fare poorly in federal by-elections. However, this by-election was especially significant due to the make-up of the 38th Canadian Parliament. Following the 2004 election, the Liberals combined with the left-leaning New Democratic Party held 154 seats, or exactly half of the 308-seat House of Commons. Furthermore, with former Liberal MP Carolyn Parrish now expelled from that party, the two parties' combined total (prior to O'Brien's death) had been reduced to 153 (or 152 who are eligible to vote since the Speaker was elected as a Liberal). The Liberals were anxious to retain the seat, as its loss would leave the opposition Conservative Party of Canada or the separatist Bloc Québécois as the only viable partners for the Liberals to get legislation passed in the House. Former Liberal MP David Kilgour had left the party, further reducing its strength.

Since the general election, it had been suggested that the New Democratic Party refrain from contesting by-elections in seats where the Liberals were strong but the NDP are not, to avoid splitting the vote and thus help improve the chances securing a better position for the NDP in the House. Labrador would certainly be a prime example of such a seat - the NDP finished a distant fourth in the 2004 poll. However, historically the NDP has been adamant in contesting all by-elections, and NDP leader Jack Layton showed little interest in any such proposal. The NDP nominated Frances Fry on April 23 feeling it had a chance in this seat due to the Liberal fall in polls and the fact that the provincial NDP had one of its 2 seats in Labrador.

[edit] Results

By-election on 24 May 2005

On the death of Lawrence O'Brien, 16 December 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Todd Russell 5438 51.48 -10.75
     Conservative Graham Letto 3415 32.33 +16.56
     New Democrat Frances Fry 1045 9.89 +0.25
     Independent Ern Condon 598 5.66 -4.69
     Green Jason Crummey 68 0.64 -1.37
Majority 2023 19.1
Turnout 10 564 54.1 +9.3
     Liberal hold. Swing -13.6

In the end, the Liberals picked up an easy victory, as expected, but while their actual vote total did not go down by much, their percentage of the vote went down over 10 points from the previous election as turnout was over 9% more than in the 2004 election. This high turnout is virtually unheard of for by-elections which normally have extremely poor turnouts. The additional voters appear to have been brought out by the tense national political situation and mostly voted for the Conservatives who picked up nearly 17 points and the New Democrats who also increased their vote total.

[edit] Labrador, 2004 election

Despite being ill, incumbent Lawrence O'Brien won in a massive landslide.

Canadian federal election, 2004
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Lawrence O'Brien 5524 62.23 -6.76
     Conservative Merrill Strachan 1400 15.77 -2.85
     Independent Ern Condon 919 10.35 Ø
     New Democrat Shawn Crann 856 9.64 -2.74
     Green Lori-Ann Martino 178 2.01 Ø
Majority 4124 46.5
Turnout 8877 44.8
     Liberal hold. Swing -2.0

Conservative Party change is based on the combination of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party totals.

[edit] Labrador, 1988 - 2000

Canadian federal election, 2000
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Lawrence O'Brien 7153 68.99 +18.37
     New Democrat Amanda Will 1284 12.38 -25.41
     Progressive Conservative Hayward Broomfield 1254 12.09 +5.20
     Canadian Alliance Eugene Burt 677 6.53 +1.84
Total valid votes 10 368

Changes for the Canadian Alliance party are based on the 1997 results of its predecessor, the Reform Party.

Canadian federal election, 1997
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Lawrence O'Brien 6182 50.62 +10.15
     New Democrat Randy Collins 4615 37.79 +17.98
     Progressive Conservative Mike Patton 842 6.89 -1.81
     Reform Stephanie Girardin 573 4.69 -25.69
Total valid votes 12 212


By-election on 1996

On Bill Rompkey's appointment to the Senate
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Lawrence O'Brien 4032 40.47 -36.64
     Reform John Michael McGrath 3027 30.38 Ø
     New Democrat Randy Collins 1974 19.81 +15.89
     Progressive Conservative Darlene Gear-White 867 8.70 -10.27
     Independent Alain Roy 63 0.63 Ø
Total valid votes 9963


Canadian federal election, 1993
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 8724 77.11 +23.61
     Progressive Conservative Wayne Piercey 2146 18.97 -14.06
     New Democrat Barry Knight 444 3.92 -7.40
Total valid votes 11 314


Canadian federal election, 1988
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 7126 53.50 +8.37
     Progressive Conservative Joseph Goudie 4400 33.03 -9.23
     New Democrat Evelyn Riggs 1508 11.32 -1.29
     Independent Ern Condon 286 2.15 Ø
Total valid votes 13 320

[edit] Grand Falls—White Bay—Labrador, 1952 - 1987

Canadian federal election, 1984
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 12 938 45.13 -7.54
     Progressive Conservative Peter J. Walsh 12 114 42.26 +17.25
     New Democrat Ern Condon 3616 12.61 -9.71
Total valid votes 28 668


Canadian federal election, 1980
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 15 530 52.67 +6.58
     Progressive Conservative Ray Hawco 7375 25.01 +13.46
     New Democrat Ern Condon 6582 22.32 -20.05
Total valid votes 29 487


Canadian federal election, 1979
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 13 639 46.09 -8.73
     New Democrat Bryan Blackmore 12 538 42.37 +20.66
     Progressive Conservative Calvin Osmond 3418 11.55 -11.92
Total valid votes 29 595


Canadian federal election, 1974
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 12 689 54.82 -2.82
     Progressive Conservative Jim Corp Janes 5433 23.47 -12.74
     New Democrat Donald J. Head 5026 21.71 +15.56
Total valid votes 23 148


Canadian federal election, 1972
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Bill Rompkey 14 274 57.64 +10.83
     Progressive Conservative Ambrose Peddle 8968 36.21 -14.19
     New Democrat Earle R. Boone 1523 6.15 +3.36
Total valid votes 24 765


Canadian federal election, 1968
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Progressive Conservative Ambrose Peddle 10 322 50.40 +31.57
     Liberal Andrew Chatwood 9587 46.81 -26.23
     New Democrat Austin Scott 571 2.79 -5.34
Total valid votes 20 480


By-election on 19 September 1966

On Charles Granger's resignation, 1 August 1966
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Andrew Chatwood 9754 73.04 +2.08
     Progressive Conservative Thomas Fenwick Pitcher 2515 18.83 -4.04
     New Democrat Lorne Campbell Snell 1086 8.13 Ø
Total valid votes 13 355


Canadian federal election, 1965
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Charles Granger 17 933 70.96 +0.30
     Progressive Conservative Thomas Fenwick Pitcher 5779 22.87 -2.50
     Social Credit Harold W. Parsons 1560 6.17 Ø
Total valid votes 25 272


Canadian federal election, 1963
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Charles Granger 18 233 70.66 +5.11
     Progressive Conservative Cyril C. Pelley 6545 25.37 +1.16
     New Democrat Kitchener Pritchett 1025 3.97 -6.27
Total valid votes 25 803


Canadian federal election, 1962
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Charles Granger 16 401 65.55 +3.83
     Progressive Conservative Wolfred Nelson 6057 24.21 -14.07
     New Democrat William Joseph Gillies 2561 10.24 Ø
Total valid votes 25 019


Canadian federal election, 1958
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Charles Granger 16 328 61.72 -13.69
     Progressive Conservative David Gordon Decker 10 129 38.28 +13.69
Total valid votes 26 457


Canadian federal election, 1957
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne 11 681 75.41 +2.15
     Progressive Conservative George Bloomfield 3810 24.59 -2.15
Total valid votes 15 491


Canadian federal election, 1953
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne 13 653 73.26 -13.49
     Progressive Conservative Henry George Hicks 4984 26.74 +13.49
Total valid votes 18 637

[edit] Grand Falls—White Bay, 1949 - 1952

Canadian federal election, 1949
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
     Liberal Thomas Gordon William Ashbourne 12 301 86.75 Ø
     Progressive Conservative James Pond 1879 13.25 Ø
Total valid votes 14 180

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

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Federal ridings in Newfoundland and Labrador
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