Summary: A new riding carved from area that elected both a Conservative and a NDP MP in 2011, Burnaby North—Seymour is considered a riding to watch in this year’s election.
Boundaries: An urban seat in Metro Vancouver, Burnaby North-Seymour comprises the eastern half of North Vancouver, and all parts of Burnaby north of Lougheed Highway.
Last Election: This is a new seat created from North Vancouver (which elected Conservative MP Andrew Saxton by 19 per cent in 2011) and Burnaby-Douglas (which elected NDP MP Kennedy Stewart by 2 per cent in 2011). Neither of them is running here.
In 2011, voters within the boundaries of this new riding voted 44.2 per cent for the Conservatives, and 35.2 per cent for the NDP.
History: North Vancouver has always elected right-wing MPs, with the exception of 2004 and 2006 when popular former mayor Don Bell was elected as a Liberal. Meanwhile, the northern half of Burnaby has been home to NDP MPs since 1988. Before that, it was a hybrid North Vancouver-Burnaby riding for three elections, voting for Progressive Conservative candidates each time.
Candidates
Conservative: Mike Little, a three-term councillor from the District of North Vancouver
NDP: Carol Baird Ellan, former Chief Judge of British Columbia’s Provincial Court
Liberal: Terry Beech, entrepreneur and former Nanaimo councillor
Green: Lynne Quarmby, SFU professor who protested last year against the Kinder Morgan pipeline
Marxist-Leninist: Brian Sproule
Libertarian: Chris Tylor
Communist: Brent Jantzen
Independent: Helen Chang