Riding Profiles

EDMONTON-STRATHCONA (41)

Riding Profile:

This south-central Edmonton riding is bordered on the north mostly by the North Saskatchewan River, Connors Road and 90th Avenue, on the east by 75th and 103rd Streets, and on the south by Whitemud Drive. In the 2004 redistribution, the riding lost a small eastern area to Edmonton-Mill Creek and gained a small southern area from Edmonton-Rutherford.

In Edmonton-Strathcona, education is the main employer, followed by health care and social services. The average household income is the third-lowest in Alberta at $46,394. In the riding, 16 per cent of residents are considered low income. Almost 20 per cent of the people here are immigrants. About 1.3 per cent are francophone.

Political History:

The riding is represented by former NDP leader Raj Pannu, who defeated Liberal Mary MacDonald by just 58 votes. Over the years Pannu's wins grew more decisive. In 2001, Pannu beat his Conservative opponent, John Logan, by more than 2,200 votes. And in 2004, Pannu garnered 7,463 votes, beating Conservative Shannon Stubbs by 5, 174 votes.

However, Pannu announced in June 2006 that he would be retiring from politics and would not run again.

Pannu was preceded in office by one-term Liberal Al Zariwny, who in turn was preceded by two New Democrats: Gordon Wright, from 1986-90, who died in office, prompting a byelection, and Barrie Chivers, from 1990-93. Julian Koziak, a Tory, was Edmonton-Strathcona's MLA from 1971-86.

In 2004, voter turnout was 49.9 per cent.