Federal Election 2015: North Island-Powell River riding results

Summary: A large, somewhat redrawn riding, North Island-Powell River is another Vancouver Island district that has been close in recent elections. But boundary redistribution sees Conservative MP John Duncan, who has represented this area for most of the last 25 years, running in Courtenay-Alberni, so voters here will send a rookie MP to Ottawa.

Boundaries: The largest of Vancouver Island’s seven ridings, it includes everything on the Island from Comox north, with the exception of Courtenay. The riding has also gained Powell River and Texada Island.

Last Election: In the former Vancouver Island North, Conservative MP John Duncan was re-elected for a sixth term, defeating his NDP challenger by 3.1 per cent. Redistribution moves more Conservative voters into this riding, and a transposed vote count shows Conservative votes within these new boundaries outnumbered NDP votes by 4.8 per cent.

History: John Duncan has represented this area for all but two years since 1993. Prior to that, it had generally elected NDP candidates for several decades.

Provincially, the northernmost Vancouver Island riding typically elects an NDP MLA, while the Powell River/Comox regions are usually home to swing seats.

Demographics: Just 6.6 per cent of people said their mother tongue was something other than English or French—the lowest number in the province.

Candidates

Conservative: Laura Smith, longtime advisor to Duncan and former forest stewardship worker

NDP: Rachel Blaney, executive director, Immigrant Welcome Centre of North Vancouver Island

Liberal: Peter Schwarzhoff, retired meteorologist with Environment Canada

Green: Brenda Sayers, Hupacasath First Nations organizer