MacLeod

“¢ 2008 Election Results: Conservative Ted Menzies

“¢ Aboriginals represent 11% of the residents in the riding along with a 9% immigrant population

“¢ 86% speak English, with less than 1% speaking French and 1% of Aboriginals speaking the Aboriginal language – Blackfoot

“¢ Major industry is agriculture

“¢ Average family income: $117,980

“¢ Unemployment rate: 3.9%

“¢ Population: 107,638

“¢ In 2008 Conservative Ted Menzies defeated Green Party Candidate Jared McCollum by 31,173 votes

“¢ Menzies has held the riding since 2004

“¢ Since 1988 the riding has been held by the PCs in 1988, the Reform in 1993 and 1997, the Canadian Alliance in 2000 and since 2004 by the Conservatives

Candidates:

Ted Menzies – Conservatives

– Has been an MP since 2004

– Was appointed Minister of State for Finance in January 2011

– Prior to that was Parliamentary Secretary for Finance since 2007

– Ted and his wife Sandy have operated Section One Farm Ltd., a 5,000 acre farm for 30 years producing wheat, barley, canola, field peas, lentils, chickpeas and spice crops

– Was an early adopter of new technologies such as zero-tillage to conserve valuable soil and moisture, global positioning for improved efficiency and hand held computers for record keeping

Nicole Hankel – Liberal

– Is an entrepreneur; she started and ran a publishing company in Calgary for 16 years, and was also the owner/operator of a printing company for 9 years

– Has worked in a variety of industries including heavy manufacturing, oil and gas, accounting, service, journalism and communications

Janine Giles – NDP

– As a World Vision Rwanda Volunteer in 2007, she travelled to Nyamata, Rwanda to meet genocide survivors and perpetrators

– She is a dedicated community activist and volunteer

– Is currently a PhD candidate in Political Science at the University of Calgary, studying political knowledge and the role it plays in federal election campaigns

Attila Nagy – Green Party

– Originally supported the Conservative party but due to lack of political direction that prioritized the environment became involved with the Green Party

– Has taken a year off from job surveying and inspecting underground Natural Gas Pipelines for Galvanic corrosion and Stress Corrosion Cracking