Rossmere

The 2011- boundaries for Rossmere highlighted in red.

Rossmere is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1968, and has formally existed since the provincial election of 1969. The riding is located in the northeastern section of the City of Winnipeg.

Rossmere is bordered on the east by Radisson, to the south by Elmwood and Concordia, to the north by River East, and to the west by Kildonan. The Red River forms its western boundary.

Rossmere's population in 1996 was 19,959. In 1999, the average family income was $50,087, and the unemployment rate was 6.40%. According to a 1996 census report, 20% of the riding's residents were immigrants; 14% listed German as their ethnic origin, and a further 6% are Ukrainian. The aboriginal population was 4.5%.

Rossmere is relatively affluent, and most of its residents are in the middle-income range. There is still a significant working-class presence in the riding, however: 16% of the riding's industry is in manufacturing, with a further 13% work in the retail trade.

Although Rossmere's first MLA was New Democratic Party premier Edward Schreyer, it was historically a swing seat between the NDP and the Progressive Conservatives. After Schreyer's resignation in 1979, he was succeeded by the NDP's Vic Schroeder, who was re-elected in the elections of 1981 and 1986 over his Conservative opposition. Schroeder was a senior cabinet minister in the government of Howard Pawley, but was defeated in the 1988 election that swept the NDP from office. Progressive Conservative Harold Neufeld held the seat from 1988 to 1993, while future MP and federal cabinet minister Vic Toews was the MLA from 1995 to 1999. Both served in the cabinets of Gary Filmon.

Since 1999, however, the Conservatives have been increasingly less competitive in the seat. New Democrat Harry Schellenberg, who first won the seat in a 1993 by-election before narrowly losing to Toews in the 1995 provincial election, regained the seat in the 1999 election by narrowly defeating Toews in a rematch. Schellenberg went on to win re-election in the 2003 provincial election with nearly two-thirds of the vote. Schellenberg was succeeded by current NDP MLA Erna Braun, who won the seat in 2007 provincial election with 60% of the vote. Notably, the Conservatives did not nominate a candidate until after the election was called.

List of provincial representatives

This riding has elected the following MLAs:

Parliament Years Member Party
26th 1969-1973     Edward Schreyer New Democratic Party
27th 1973-1977
28th 1977-1979
1979-1981     Victor Schroeder New Democratic Party
29th 1981-1986
30th 1986-1988
31st 1988-1990     Harold Neufeld Progressive Conservative
32nd 1990-1993
1993-1995     Harry Schellenberg
1st term
New Democratic Party
33rd 1995-1999     Vic Toews Progressive Conservative
34th 1999-2003     Harry Schellenberg
2nd term
New Democratic Party
35th 2003-2007
36th 2007-     Erna Braun New Democratic Party

Electoral results

Manitoba general election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
     New Democrat Erna Braun 5,392 56.38 -4.33
     Progressive Conservative Kaur Sidhu 3,430 35.86 +3.12
LiberalIsaiah Oyeleru 356 3.72 -2.83
GreenEvan Maydaniuk 351 3.67
Total valid votes
Rejected and declined votes
Turnout
Registered voters
Manitoba general election, 2007
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
     New Democrat Erna Braun 4,836 60.71 $28,754.31
     Progressive Conservative Cathy Cox 2,608 32.74 $18,967.41
LiberalIsaiah Oyeleru 522 6.55 $1,792.15
Total valid votes 7,966 100.00
Rejected and declined votes 43
Turnout 8,009 61.70
Registered voters 12,980

June, 2003:[1]

Manitoba general election, 1999
Party Candidate Votes%∆%Expenditures
     New Democratic Party Harry Schellenberg 5,097 49.21 $25,409.00
     Progressive Conservative Vic Toews 4,803 46.37 $30,765.70
LiberalCecilia Connelly 396 3.82 $766.92
     Libertarian Chris Buors 62 0.60 $353.40
Total valid votes 10,358 100.00
Rejected and discarded votes 54
Turnout 10,412 79.47
Registered voters 13,102
Manitoba general election, 1995
Party Candidate Votes%Expenditures
     Progressive Conservative Vic Toews 4,318 45.97 $20,855.00
     New Democratic Party Harry Schellenberg 4,201 44.72 $22,807.00
LiberalCecilia Connelly 875 9.31 $6,262.74
Total valid votes 9,394 100.00
Rejected and discarded votes 37
Turnout 9,431 77.08
Registered voters 12,235

Previous boundaries

The 1999-2011 boundaries for Rossmere highlighted in red

References

Coordinates: 49°55′59″N 97°04′55″W / 49.933°N 97.082°W