Swan River

The most northerly riding of this region, Swan River runs between the Saskatchewan border and Lake Winnipeg north of Dauphin and encompasses most of Lake Winnipegosis.

It includes the communities of Swan River, Duck River, Crane River, Camperville and Grand Rapids.

It is an interesting mix of rural agricultural communities and aboriginal communities.

Agriculture accounts for More than one third of the residents are aboriginal, one quarter are First Nations, the fifth highest proportion of any riding in the province.

Almost one in five residents lives under the poverty line.

It has one of the lowest high school graduation rates.

 

Stats

Population: 19,355

Median age: 37.6

Immigrants: 2.7 per cent

Aboriginal population: 41.5 per cent

Living in poverty: 19.4 per cent

Median income: $16,765

 

Politics

Until 1986 Swan River was all Tory. Since 1990 it’s been all NDP. (It was split between the two between 1986 and 1990).

Finance Minister Rosann Wowchuk, who has been the MLA for the past 21 years isn’t running again leaving the seat wide open.

It is one of the biggest rural targets for the Conservatives and one the NDP are said to be most concerned about.

It had one of the highest turnouts of any riding in the region in 2007, far higher than the provincial average.

 

2007 results

Rosann Wowchuk, 4,522

Maxine Plesiuk, PC 2,915

Niomi Spence-Pranteau, LIB 306

Turnout: 65.21 per cent