Decision BC: Vancouver-Point Grey

In 2009: Premier Gordon Campbell won this riding over NDP challenger Mel Lehan for the second straight time, defeating him 50-40%. Needing a seat in the legislature, Christy Clark replaced him in a 2011 byelection, defeating NDP candidate David Eby by just over 500 votes, 49-45%.

History & Geography: The Vancouver-Point Grey riding has existed since 1933, but Vancouver-Quilchena was split off from the previously two-member riding in 1991. It now consists of UBC, along with all of Vancouver north of 16th and west of Arbutus. The riding elected Garde Gardom and Pat McGeer as both Liberals and Social Credit candidates for over 20 years, but has only elected an NDP candidate once, in 1991. The Liberals tend to dominate in Point Grey and the University Endowment Lands, while the NDP do well in Kitsilano—but because the election takes place a month after university exams, there isn’t any major “student section” within the riding.

Basic Stats:

• Population: 57065 (25th)

• Size: 23.8 km (65th)

• Density: 2397.7 people/km (21st)

Odds and Ends: Not surprisingly for a riding that features UBC, Vancouver-Point Grey reported the most people between 20 and 25 in the 2011 census—5235 of them, to be exact.

Candidates

Liberals-Christy Clark: The premier of British Columbia, Clark was first elected to the legislature in 1996. She was Minister of Education in the Liberal government from 2001 to 2004, but resigned before the 2005 election to spend more time with her family. She then became host of The Christy Clark Show on CKNW before re-entering politics. She was elected Liberal party leader in 2011, becoming the province’s second female premier.

NDP-David Eby: A lawyer, Eby was the longtime executive director of the BC Civil Liberties Association. Prior to that, he worked for the Pivot Legal Society, and wrote a handbook intended to help the public understand their rights. Eby is an adjunct law professor at UBC, and writes a regular column for the 24 Hours newspaper.

Conservatives-Duane Nickull: An entrepreneur, Nickull was co-founder of Yellow Dragon Software Corporation, and worked for Adobe as a technical evangelist after they bought the company. He runs the startup Technoracle Advanced Systems, and is a guest lecturer at various universities. He has hosted the online TV show Duane’s World, and plays bass for a variety of local rock bands.

Greens-Francoise Raunet: A student support worker, Raunet is an original member of UBC’s Green Party club. She ran in this riding in the 2011 byelection, but finished in third with 3.4% of the vote.

Independent-William Gibbens: Independent-William Gibbens: An interdisciplinary artist and consultant in business and software development, Mr. Gibbens ran in the 2011 by-election in this riding, finishing with 28 votes.

Work Less Party-Hollis Linschoten: Linschoten is one of two candidates running in this election for the Work Less Party, which wants BC to operate under a 32-hour work week.

Libertarian-Marisa Palmer: Palmer is one of eight candidates running for the BC Libertarian Party this election

Platinum Party-Bernard Yankson: