Selkirk

An oddly shaped riding north of Winnipeg, Selkirk starts just north of St. Paul and runs almost on a diagonal towards Lake Winnipeg and slightly beyond.

Grand Beach is its most northerly point. It includes its namesake town of Selkirk as well as Libau, Kirkness, Highland Glen and the Brokenhead Ojibway First Nation.

It does include some of the province’s most beloved cottage country along the southern shores of Lake Winnipeg, and some prime agricultural land.

It is close enough to the city for some to commute for work and health and social services are the main employment drivers.

Nearly a fifth of the population is aboriginal, and about one in 10 residents lives in poverty.

More than half the working age population has more than a high school diploma.

Fewer than two per cent of residents are visible minorities.

 

Stats

Population: 19,875

Median age: 42.2

Immigrants: 5.9 per cent

Aboriginal population: 19.9 per cent

Living in poverty: 10.6 per cent

Median income: $25,548

 

Politics

The NDP has held this riding for all but one election cycle since 1969. It was the riding for longtime NDP Premier Howard Pawley from 1969 until 1988. Greg Dewar has held it for the NDP since 1990 and is running again. The Tories have never won this riding. The Liberals held it during their brief period as official opposition between 1988 and 1990.

 

2007 results

Greg Dewar, NDP 4,584

Gordie Dehn, PC 2,951

Karen Keppler, LIB 704

Turnout: 59.18 per cent