Summary: NDP MP John Rafferty was first elected here in 2008, and is seeking a third term. He will face the same Conservative candidate as 2011, Moe Comuzzi. She is the niece of Joe Comuzzi, the Thunder Bay-Superior North MP who won six times as a Liberal, then crossed to the Conservatives in 2007.
Boundaries: This riding includes the southern half of the community of Thunder Bay, and runs west along Ontario’s southern border. Its boundaries have not changed since the last election.
Last Election: NDP Rafferty defeated Conservative Comuzzi with 48.7 per cent of the vote.
History: This riding had been a battle between the NDP and Liberals for many years, until 2011 when the Conservative candidate placed second.
Demographics: 13.4 per cent of residents identified as Aboriginal in the 2011 National Household Survey, fourth highest in Ontario. The riding is also home to the largest percentage of people in Ontario with Ukrainian heritage, at 13.2 per cent.
Candidates
Conservative: Moe Comuzzi, manager of a car dealership
NDP: John Rafferty, MP
Liberal: Don Rusnak, lawyer
Green: Christy Radbourne, elementary school principal