In 2013, the NDP won by 909 votes (47.1 per cent to 36.6 per cent).
Technically, it’s slightly outside the 10 pere cent rule, but it’s not a very populated riding (less than 9,000 people voted in 2013) so it doesn’t take much of a shift for this riding to swing one way or the other. Doug Donaldson, the NDP MLA, has the incumbent’s edge but it’s still usually close.
In 2009, the NDP’s Doug Donaldson won this riding over BC Liberal Scott Groves by 465 votes (50 per cent to 45 per cent).
History & Geography: The largest riding in size and smallest in population, Stikine spans the often barren northwest section of the province. Smithers in the only major town in the riding, but Dease Lake, Stewart, Telkwa and Atlin are also small population centres. The riding was known as Atlin from 1903 to 1991, but had to be drastically expanded to the south after consistent complaints its population was not large enough to merit an entire seat. The riding has gone to the NDP 13 out of the last 16 elections, with the Liberals doing the best in and around Smithers, and the NDP doing best in the rest of the province.
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Candidates
BC Liberals – Wanda Good: Deputy Chief Councillor of Gitanyow. Recently, she has been working to secure bus service connecting Prince George and Prince Rupert along the ‘Highway of Tears’. One of three indigenous candidates being highlighted by the BC Liberals.
NDP – Doug Donaldson: First elected in 2009, in 2016 Donaldson was named the NDP critic on Energy and Mines. Previously a four-term councillor in Hazelton.
Christian Heritage Party of B.C. – Rod Taylor: Taylor is the leader of both the Federal and Provincial Christian Heritage Parties. The Christian Heritage Party is running five candidates in 2017, after running two candidate is 2013. It’s a libertarian party with a Christian focus.
2017 Stats: Stikine
Population (2014): 20,616 (87th)
Population Deviation from Average: -61.2 per cent
Area: 196,484 sq km (1st)
Pop Density: 0.1 (87th)
Average Age: 39 years (70th)
English as Second Language: 11.79 per cent (61st)
Top 3 Second Languages:
German – 2.16 per cent
Dutch – 1.46 per cent
Spanish – 0.25 per cent
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