Saanich—Gulf Islands
Saanich—Gulf Islands is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1988. It is named for its geographical location across the Gulf Islands and Saanich Peninsula in the Vancouver Island region.
Demographics
More than 21 per cent of the residents are immigrants, and more than 19 per cent are older than 65, making this the riding with the third largest senior population in Canada. The riding has a median age of 48.3, making it the riding with the highest median age in Canada. [1] The average family income is $70,814; unemployment is 5.9 per cent.
Geography
The riding of Saanich-Gulf Islands consists of the north part of the Municipality of Saanich, as well as the municipalities of Central Saanich, North Saanich, and Sidney on Vancouver Island. The district also includes a number of the southern Gulf Islands, including Salt Spring Island, the Pender Islands, Galiano Island, Mayne Island and Saturna Island. The district's southeastern border runs along the University of Victoria.
History
The electoral district was created in 1987 from Esquimalt—Saanich and Cowichan—Malahat—The Islands ridings.
In the 2008 election, there were allegations of electoral fraud around Gary Lunn's campaign.[2]
Members of Parliament
This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:
Political geography
Despite the usually close vote between the various parties, the Canadian Alliance, Reform and Conservative parties have consistently won here for the past decade. Since 1953, the riding and its predecessor, Esquimalt-Saanich, have only gone to a non-conservative candidate three times: 1968 to Liberal David Anderson, in 1988 to New Democrat Lynn Hunter, and in 2011 to Green party leader Elizabeth May. The 1988 Conservative loss is attributed to vote splitting between the Progressive Conservatives and the new Reform party.
Current Member of Parliament
Its Member of Parliament is Green Party leader Elizabeth May. She was elected in 2011 and is the first Green MP to be elected to the House of Commons. She defeated Conservative Incumbent and cabinet minister Gary Lunn.
Election results
Canadian federal election, 2011 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Expenditures |
|
Green |
Elizabeth May |
31,890 |
46.33 |
+35.88 |
$87,738 |
|
Conservative |
Gary Lunn |
24,544 |
35.66 |
-7.77 |
$89,604 |
|
New Democrat |
Edith Loring-Kuhanga |
8,185 |
11.89 |
+6.20 |
$66,273 |
|
Liberal |
Renée Hetherington |
4,208 |
6.11 |
-33.25 |
$50,002 |
Total valid votes/Expense limit |
68,827 |
100.00 |
|
$293,617 |
Total rejected ballots |
160 |
|
|
|
Turnout |
68,987 |
75.25 |
|
|
Eligible voters |
91,673 |
|
|
|
Canadian federal election, 2008 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Expenditures |
|
Conservative |
Gary Lunn |
27,988 |
43.43 |
+6.28 |
$89,575 |
|
Liberal |
Briony Penn |
25,367 |
39.36 |
+13.28 |
$82,692 |
|
Green |
Andrew Lewis |
6,742 |
10.45 |
+0.51 |
$31,223 |
|
New Democrat |
Julian West |
3,667 |
5.69 |
-20.85 |
$17,814 |
|
Libertarian |
Dale P. Leier |
246 |
0.38 |
|
|
|
Western Block Party |
Patricia O'Brien |
195 |
0.30 |
+0.03 |
|
|
Canadian Action |
Jeremy Arney |
139 |
0.18 |
|
$1,911 |
|
Christian Heritage |
Dan Moreau |
114 |
0.2 |
|
$19 |
Total valid votes/Expense limit |
64,448 |
100.00 |
|
$91,825 |
Total rejected ballots |
|
|
|
|
Turnout |
|
|
|
|
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
-3.5 |
|
Julian West was selected as the New Democratic Party candidate for the 2008 election, but withdrew after the filing deadline following a scandal.[3] Because of the late withdrawal his name did appear on the ballot.
Canadian federal election, 2006 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Expenditures |
|
Conservative |
Gary Lunn |
24,416 |
37.15 |
+2.58 |
$80,272 |
|
New Democrat |
Jennifer Burgis |
17,455 |
26.54 |
+4.96 |
$50,412 |
|
Liberal |
Sheila Orr |
17,144 |
26.08 |
-0.70 |
$79,489 |
|
Green |
Andrew Lewis |
6,533 |
9.94 |
-6.77 |
$19,061 |
|
Western Block Party |
Patricia O'Brien |
183 |
0.27 |
- |
$0 |
Total valid votes |
65,721 |
100.00 |
|
|
Total rejected ballots |
134 |
0.20 |
|
|
Turnout |
65,855 |
73.2 |
|
|
|
Conservative hold |
Swing |
-1.19 |
|
Canadian federal election, 2004 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Expenditures |
|
Conservative |
Gary Lunn |
22,050 |
34.57 |
-18.86 |
$81,613 |
|
Liberal |
David Mulroney |
17,082 |
26.78 |
-5.51 |
$61,819 |
|
New Democrat |
Jennifer Burgis |
13,763 |
21.58 |
+13.56 |
$40,318 |
|
Green |
Andrew Lewis |
10,662 |
16.71 |
+11.20 |
$79,731 |
|
Independent |
Mary Moreau |
214 |
0.33 |
- |
$12 |
Total valid votes |
63,771 |
100.00 |
|
|
Total rejected ballots |
159 |
0.25 |
|
|
Turnout |
63,930 |
73.97 |
|
|
|
Conservative notional hold |
Swing |
-6.7 |
|
Conservative change is from a combination of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative votes.
Canadian federal election, 2000 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Expenditures |
|
Canadian Alliance |
Gary Lunn |
25,392 |
43.15 |
+0.09 |
$61,497 |
|
Liberal |
Karen Knott |
19,002 |
32.29 |
+0.82 |
$63,669 |
|
Progressive Conservative |
Don Page |
6,049 |
10.28 |
+2.76 |
$10,385 |
|
New Democrat |
Pat O'Neill |
4,721 |
8.02 |
-6.31 |
$9,666 |
|
Green |
Wally Du Temple |
3,243 |
5.51 |
+2.77 |
$7,217 |
|
Natural Law |
Kathleen Lapeyrouse |
217 |
0.36 |
-0.07 |
$100 |
|
Independent |
Dan Moreau |
123 |
0.20 |
- |
- |
|
Communist |
Charley Stimac |
88 |
0.14 |
- |
$189 |
Total valid votes |
58,835 |
100.00 |
|
|
Total rejected ballots |
165 |
0.28 |
|
|
Turnout |
59,000 |
70.60 |
|
|
|
Canadian Alliance hold |
Swing |
-0.4 |
|
Canadian federal election, 1997 |
Party |
Candidate |
Votes |
% |
±% |
Expenditures |
|
Reform |
Gary Lunn |
24,275 |
43.06 |
+5.91 |
$61,075 |
|
Liberal |
Clark Roberts |
17,742 |
31.47 |
+5.45 |
$59,743 |
|
New Democrat |
Chuck Beyer |
8,080 |
14.33 |
-4.53 |
$29,672 |
|
Progressive Conservative |
Marilyn Loveless |
4,243 |
7.52 |
-4.00 |
$23,349 |
|
Green |
Julia Lerner |
1,546 |
2.74 |
- |
$745 |
|
Natural Law |
Andy Guest |
248 |
0.43 |
-0.31 |
$321 |
|
Canadian Action |
Valerie Rampone |
234 |
0.41 |
- |
$4,335 |
Total valid votes |
56,368 |
100.00 |
|
|
Total rejected ballots |
181 |
0.32 |
|
|
Turnout |
56,549 |
74.26 |
|
|
See also
References
Sources
External links