WINNIPEG -- Find out who's running in Portage--Lisgar and read about the riding's political history and demographics:

Candidates

Note: an * indicates an incumbent candidate.

  • Aaron Archer – People’s Party of Canada
  • Candice Bergen – Conservative Party of Canada*
  • Jerome Dondo – Christian Heritage Party of Canada
  • Beverley Eert – Green Party of Canada
  • Cindy Friesen – New Democratic Party
  • Ken Werbiski – Liberal Party of Canada

2015 Federal Election

Tory incumbent Candice Bergen won the riding with more than 14,000 votes. Bergen has won the past three federal elections. She’s been the Portage - Lisgar MP since 2008.

History

  • The riding was created in 1996 from the Lisgar-Marquette, Portage-Interlake, and Provencher ridings.
  • The riding has always been right-wing. It first elected the Reform Party of Canada in 1997, then the Canadian Alliance in 2000.
  • Since 2003 the riding has remained under Conservative representation.
  • Brian Pallister, the premier of Manitoba, was elected MP in 2000 under the Canadian Alliance Party. He served three consecutive seats until 2008 when he announced his retirement from federal politics.

Boundaries

  • The U.S. borders the south of the riding, with Lake Manitoba bordering the north.
  • Includes the cities of Portage la Prairie, Winkler, Morden, Morris and St. Claude, and the towns of Carman and Altona.
  • Includes Long Plain and Swan Lake First Nations.

Industries

  • This riding includes the world potato processing leader McCain Foods and Simplot.
  • It includes many rural farms, food processing plants, nurseries, and greenhouses.
  • Portage claims to be the strawberry capital of the world, and is home to the world’s largest Coca Cola can.
  • Includes the majority of the Red River Valley, an area prone to flooding during spring melts.

Demographics

Note: according to Statistics Canada’s 2016 census data

  • Has a population of 97,354
  • Average income in the riding is $40,917
  • 3.2 per cent identify of the population as a visible minority
  • 11.4 per cent of the population identify as Indigenous