In 2009: Liberal Bill Bennett won this riding for a third straight election, defeating NDP candidate Troy Sebastian by over 2500 votes, 51-36%.
History & Geography: At the southeast edge of the Province, Kootenay East is bordered by Alberta to the east, the United States to the south, the town of Tochty to the west, and Elk Lakes Provincial Park to the north. The largest town in the riding is Cranbrook, but Fernie, Elkford, Sparwood, and Elko are all population centres. This riding has a diverse voting history—Liberal for the last 12 years, it was home to CCP and NDP MLA Leo Nimsick from 1949-1975. The area between Fernie and Cranbrook tends to be quite Liberal, while the town centres themselves lean towards the NDP.
Basic Stats:
Population: 38875 (74th)
Size: 10275 km (21st)
Density: 3.8 people/km (66th)
Odds and Ends: When the town of Fernie was its own riding, Tom Uphill of the Labour Party served as its MLA from 1920-1960, the longest reign of any MLA in B.C. history.
Candidates
Liberals-Bill Bennett: Minister of Community, Sport and Cultural Development, Bennett was first elected in 2001. A former lawyer, Bennett owned and operated wilderness fishing and hunting lodges in the Northwest Territories for 15 years before moving to Cranbrook in the 90s. He recently tweeted that the NDP were “turds”, and he is known for being one of the most candid MLAs in the legislature.
NDP-Norma Blissett: A high school teacher at Cranbrook’s Mount Baker Secondary, Blissett has also worked in the forest industry. She has degrees from the University of Toronto, Nipissing University, and Gonzaga University. She currently serves as president of Citizens for a Livable Cranbrook.
Comments