Long considered a NDP stronghold, the Elmwood–Transcona riding is eyed as a battleground this election. Conservative incumbent Lawrence Toet, the first Tory to hold the riding, is up against candidates from three major parties.

Notably, New Democrat Daniel Blaikie is the son of Bill Blaikie; the NDP MP who won nine-straight victories in the riding from 1979 until retirement in 2008.

Candidates

Conservative: Lawrence Toet (I)
Green: Kim Parke
Liberal: Andrea Richardson-Lipon
NDP: Daniel Blaikie

Last Election

Lawrence Toet became the first Conservative MP since the riding formed, defeating NDP incumbent Jim Maloway by 300 votes.

History

  • The riding evolved from Selkirk and St. Boniface, which contributed to its creation as Winnipeg–Birds Hill in 1976.
  • The riding was won in 1979 by New Democrat Bill Blaikie, who won nine straight victories including his final run in the 2006 election.
  • Riding became Winnipeg-Transcona in 1986, and added a fifth of Winnipeg North Centre to Birds Hill.
  • In 2004, the name was changed to Elmwood-Transcona.
  • Blaikie, the NDP deputy leader, won every vote by big margins and retired in 2008, when Jim Maloway won the seat for the NDP with Conservative Thomas Steen second.
  • In 2011, Tory Lawrence Toet beat incumbent Maloway.

Boundaries

  • Along the Red River in the west, it has Rossmere, Bronx, Braeside, Valley Gardens and Elmwood areas.
  • In the east are Regent, Kern and Canterbury Parks with Mission Gardens, Springfield Heights and Lakeside Meadows.
  • There has been friction between industry and nearby housing and the city is converting some land to parks.

Industries

  • The riding has a large central industrial area with the Transcona industrial park and CNR shops and yards in the centre and lighter industry near housing including Freshwater Fish Marketing, FeedRite, OlyWest, New Flyer industry and Buhler Industries.
  • Biggest employers include a company making buses and what was Canada’s largest residential furniture manufacturer, DeFehr, which has consolidated three plants into one. The plants fund a philanthropic foundation.
  • Regent has the Club Regent Casino.

See an interactive map of all Manitoba ridings here.