Legislature House of Commons District created 1987 Last contested 2015 Province British Columbia | MP Elizabeth May
Green First contested 1988 District webpage profile, map Elector 83,970 | |
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Census divisions Central Saanich, Sidney, North Saanich | ||
Saanich—Gulf Islands is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada since 1988. It is named for its geographical location across the Gulf Islands and Saanich Peninsula in the Vancouver Island region.
Contents
- DemographicsEdit
- GeographyEdit
- HistoryEdit
- Political geographyEdit
- Riding associationsEdit
- Members of ParliamentEdit
- Current Member of ParliamentEdit
- References
DemographicsEdit
More than 21 percent of Saanich—Gulf Islands' residents are immigrants, and more than 19 percent are older than 65, making this the riding with the third largest senior population in Canada. The riding has a median age of 48.3, making it the riding with the highest median age in Canada. The average family income is $70,814; unemployment is 5.9 percent.
According to the Canada 2011 Census; 2013 representation
Ethnic groups: 83.9% White, 5.5% Chinese, 3.8% Aboriginal, 2.3% South Asian
Languages: 85.0% English, 3.9% Chinese, 1.6% German, 1.6% French, 1.2% Punjabi
Religions: 46.9% Christian (12.2% Catholic, 10.6% Anglican, 7.8% United Church, 2.2% Baptist, 1.7% Lutheran, 1.5% Presbyterian, 1.1%% Pentecostal, 10.0% Other), 1.3% Buddhist, 1.2% Sikh, 47.3% No religion
Median income (2010): $32,967
Average income (2010): $43,972
GeographyEdit
The riding of Saanich—Gulf Islands consists of the north part of the Municipality of Saanich, as well as the municipalities of Central Saanich, North Saanich, and Sidney on Vancouver Island. The district also includes a number of the southern Gulf Islands, including Salt Spring Island, the Pender Islands, Galiano Island, Mayne Island and Saturna Island. The district's southeastern border runs along the University of Victoria.
HistoryEdit
The electoral district was created in 1987 from Esquimalt—Saanich and Cowichan—Malahat—The Islands ridings.
In the 2008 election, there were allegations of electoral fraud around Gary Lunn's campaign.
The 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution concluded that the electoral boundaries of Saanich—Gulf Islands should be adjusted, and a modified electoral district of the same name will be contested in future elections. The redefined Saanich—Gulf Islands loses a small portion of its current territory in the urbanized portion of Saanich to the new district of Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke. These new boundaries were legally defined in the 2013 representation order, which came into effect upon the call of the 42nd Canadian federal election, which was held 19 October 2015.
Political geographyEdit
Despite the usually close vote between the various right-leaning parties, the Canadian Alliance, Reform and Conservative parties have consistently won here for the past decade. Since 1953, the riding and its predecessor, Esquimalt—Saanich, have only gone to a non-conservative candidate four times: 1968 to Liberal David Anderson, in 1988 to New Democrat Lynn Hunter, and in 2011 and 2015 to Green party leader Elizabeth May. The 1988 Conservative loss is attributed to vote splitting between the Progressive Conservatives and the new Reform party.
Riding associationsEdit
Riding associations are the local branches of political parties:
Members of ParliamentEdit
This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:
Current Member of ParliamentEdit
Its Member of Parliament is Green Party leader Elizabeth May. She was first elected in 2011 and is the first Green MP to be elected to the House of Commons. She defeated Conservative Incumbent and cabinet minister Gary Lunn.