Summary: The westernmost of Greater Victoria’s four ridings, Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke has been home to incredibly close elections in the last decade.
Boundaries: This revised electoral district was carved out of the Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca riding. It contains all of the working-class municipality of Esquimalt, the western half of the suburban-rural municipality of Saanich, the Western Communities of Greater Victoria (Langford excluded) and all communities on southwest Vancouver Island extending to River Jordan.
Last Election: NDP candidate Randall Garrison won a narrow victory over Conservative challenger Troy DeSouza by 406 votes, replacing longtime MP Keith Martin, who had held the riding since 1993.
Redistribution has made this riding slightly more friendly to the NDP, as the new boundaries no longer include Langford.
History: Keith Martin was elected as a Reform MP, Canadian Alliance MP, and Liberal MP during his 18 years in office, but the riding actually voted NDP in the election before he took office (1988) and the one after he retired (2011).
Candidates
Conservative: Shari Lukens, former Colwood councillor
NDP: Randall Garrison, MP since 2011
Liberal: David Merner, lawyer and Executive Director of the Dispute Resolution Office at BC’s Ministry of Justice
Green: Frances Litman, professional photographer
Communist: Tyson Strandlund