Five Ridings to Watch

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This article was published 04/08/2015 (3744 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Winnipeg South Centre

THE Conservatives snatched it from the Grits in 2011 by a solid 700 votes. For months, though, it’s been considered all but lost by the Tories, who were braced for a full-court press by the Liberals to win South Centre back. Now, a decent NDP candidate has raised the spectre of vote splitting in the riding, making the outcome anyone’s guess.

Turnout in 2011: 71%

Conservative: (39% in 2011)

Joyce Bateman

Bio: The former school trustee and accountant caused a stir in 2011 by ditching the Liberals to run for the Tories in the riding. Since then, she’s been an understated MP, one the Liberals love to hate. In recent days, she’s announced millions in infrastructure funding, including for the Waverley underpass.

Liberal: (37% in 2011)

Jim Carr

Bio: The former oboist with the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra served four years as the area’s Liberal MLA and later founded the Business Council of Manitoba. He’s been outspoken on indigenous education and poverty. He’s been running hard for a year and has the personal backing of Leader Justin Trudeau.

NDP: (20% in 2011)

Matt Henderson

Bio: The former owner of a ska/punk/reggae record label, Henderson is arguably the city’s most innovative high school teacher. He won the 2013 Governor General’s History Award for Excellence in Teaching for his work at St. John’s-Ravenscourt School and has been an outspoken activist on indigenous and environmental issues. He’s running a real campaign in a riding where many expected the left-of-centre vote would coalesce around Carr.

Greens: (3% in 2011)

Andrew Park

Bio: Born and raised in the U.K., Park is a forest ecologist and University of Winnipeg professor. He’s lived in the riding for more than a decade and has volunteered for many green causes, including the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society and the mayor’s environment committee.

Elmwood-Transcona

Until 2011, the NDP held the riding for more than 30 years, mostly thanks to legendary New Democrat Bill Blaikie. The Tories won it by just 300 votes in 2011 and the NDP wants it back. It’s the NDP’s top — or, only — target in Manitoba. It has a legacy name in candidate Daniel Blaikie running against low-key Conservative MP Lawrence Toet.

Turnout in 2011: 57%

Conservative: (46% in 2011)

Lawrence Toet

Bio: Current MP for Elmwood-Transcona. He was first elected in 2011, defeating NDP MP Jim Maloway. Before that, he worked as campaign manager for Thomas Steen in the 2010 Winnipeg council election. He worked in his family’s printing business before jumping into politics.

Liberal: (5% in 2011)

Andrea Richardson-Lipon

Bio: A doctor of audiology who pushed for universal newborn hearing screening in Manitoba. She was expected to run a small campaign, but came out swinging last week against Daniel Blaikie and his backing by an anybody-but-Harper lobby group.

NDP: (45% in 2011)

Daniel Blaikie

Bio: Son of Bill Blaikie, he’s an electrician with an MA in philosophy, a former provincial NDP staffer and current Winnipeg Labour Council executive. He has big union support.

Kildonan-St. Paul

The Liberals have frequently targeted this suburban riding, but only came close to winning it a decade ago. It’s been held since then by Tory MP Joy Smith, who is retiring. It could turn into a three-way race between a Tory with limited name recognition, a former NDP cabinet minister and a former school trustee who just ran for council.

Turnout in 2011: 62%

Conservative: (58% in 2011)

Jim Bell

Bio: Former president and chief operating officer of the Winnipeg Blue Bombers, he parted ways with current Bomber CEO Wade Miller last summer. He was Smith’s pick in the Tory nomination, and will likely inherit much of her organization.

Liberal: (8% in 2011)

MaryAnn Mihychuk

Bio: The former provincial NDP cabinet minister and one-time mayoral candidate has spent much of her career out of politics in the mining industry. She has been campaigning for a year.

NDP: (30% in 2011)

Suzanne Hrynyk

Bio: The nurse and former school trustee narrowly lost the area’s city council seat last fall to the incumbent, but earned some name recognition. She was a supporter of Greg Selinger in this year’s divisive provincial leadership race.

St. Boniface-St. Vital

It was a hot race even before Heritage Minister Shelly Glover’s last-minute announcement she wasn’t running again. The riding is generally seen as a Liberal stronghold, but Glover won it easily in the last two elections. It’s now a top Liberal take-back target.

Turnout in 2011: 67%

Conservative: (50% in 2011)

Francois Catellier

Bio: President of Golden Meadow International, a consulting firm that helps agricultural companies market and expand. He grew up in St. Malo, was a member of the provincial PC party many years ago but hasn’t been directly involved in politics for awhile. His gentlemanly style may contrast to Glover’s pugnaciousness.

Liberal: (31% in 2011)

Dan Vandal

Bio: The former boxer and social worker has been city hall’s voice of moderation for all but two of the last 20 years, serving as St. B’s city councillor. He’s well-known and well-liked in the area.

Greens: (3% in 2011)

Glenn Zaretski

Bio: A musician, entrepreneur, volunteer and activist in such causes as nuclear disarmament and anti-clear cutting, he was motivated to run for the Greens after seeing Leader Elizabeth May speak at an event in Winnipeg. He has lived in St. Boniface for 24 years.

Winnipeg South

Nearly a decade ago, in an election-night shocker, young Tory Rod Bruinooge defeated Liberal titan Reg Alcock. Despite strong Grit campaigns, Bruinooge has held the riding easily every since. Now, he’s stepped down as MP, likely to run provincially. Liberal Terry Duguid is taking his third shot at parliament and has been campaigning for months.

Turnout in 2011: 70%

Conservative: (52% in 2011)

Gordon Giesbrecht

Bio: Best known as Professor Popsicle, he’s a professor of thermophysiology and associate dean in the faculty of kinesiology and recreation management at the University of Manitoba. He’s also been a journeyman carpenter, president of Horizon College and Seminary in Saskatoon and a military consultant on cold-weather survival.

Liberal: (33% in 2011)

Terry Duguid

Bio: The former city councillor has served as the chairman of Manitoba’s Clean Environment Commission and president of the International Centre for Infectious Diseases.

Wild Card: Winnipeg Centre

Longtime NDP MP Pat Martin has never come close to defeat, but this time he’s facing former mayoral golden boy Robert-Falcon Ouellette, running for the Liberals. Ouellette has already taken public flak for his party’s support for the anti-terrorism Bill C-51 and a few potshots from Martin. It might not be a tight race, but it will be a slugfest.

— Mary Agnes Welch