Riding Profiles
PEACE RIVER (70)Current MLA: Frank Oberle (PC) Candidates:
Riding Profile:This huge wilderness riding occupies Alberta's northwest corner, bordered by the Northwest Territories to the north and stretching more than 400 kilometres south to the community of Peace River. British Columbia forms the western border. The riding stretches to Wood Buffalo National Park in the east, changed with the 2004 redistribution. The Fox Lake and John D'or Prairie First Nations have been added to the riding. Other communities include Manning, High Level and Rainbow Lake. Despite the northerly location of the Peace River riding, agriculture is the main industry, followed by manufacturing. Household incomes, at $57,570, are somewhat under the provincial average, though fewer than 10 per cent of residents are low income. Fifty-six per cent do not have a high school diploma, making this Alberta's least formally educated riding. The aboriginal population, at nearly 27 per cent, is the province's second highest. Another 12 per cent of residents are of German origin. Two-thirds of people speak English at home. More than seven per cent speak German at home. Immigrants make up fewer than five per cent of the population, and three-quarters were born in Alberta. (2001 census) Political History:Peace River has been represented by three Tories since 1971. In 2004, Conservative Frank Oberle was elected with 2,884 votes to Liberal Adam Bourque's 1,092. Before Oberle, Gary Friedel held the seat for about a decade. Friedel was first elected in 1993 when he beat Elmer Cardinal, a Liberal, by 754 votes. In 1997, Friedel defeated Liberal Bruce MacKeen by 1,422 votes and in 2001 Friedel's margin was 2,238, this time over Liberal Susan Callihoo. He did not run in the 2004 election. From 1971-93, Al Adair served here, holding various cabinet posts during one of the longest legislative stints in recent Alberta history. In 2004, voter turnout was 30.7 per cent. 
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| Party | Elected | Leading | Total | Vote Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC | 72 | 0 | 72 | 52.66% |
| LIB | 9 | 0 | 9 | 26.37% |
| NDP | 2 | 0 | 2 | 8.52% |
| WAP | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6.77% |
| GRN | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4.58% |
| OTH | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1.11% |
- Updated: Mar 4, 2008, 12:02 MST
Riding Profiles
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