2005 Candidates (as received from Elections B.C.):
- Kenneth Montgomery Keillor, The Freedom Party
- Michael Nenn, New Democratic Party of B.C.
- John van Dongen, BC Liberal Party
District Profile:
This Fraser Valley riding takes in Clayburn Village, Matsqui Village and the original downtown core of Abbotsford. It contains a broad cross-section of agriculture and agri-business, the University College of the Fraser Valley, a mix of old and new residential areas, the MSA Museum and the MSA Hospital. It's bordered on the north by the Fraser River, on the west largely by Clearbrook and Gladwin roads, on the south by the U.S. border, and on the east in part by Sumas Way and McMillan Road. Retail trade and manufacturing are the major employers. The average family income is $57,148 – below the B.C. average – but unemployment is also below average: 7.5 per cent. About 17 per cent of residents are immigrants, and there's a significant senior population: 16 per cent are 65 years of age or older.
Political History:
The incumbent in Abbotsford-Clayburn is Liberal John van Dongen, the minister of agriculture, food and fisheries. In his 2001 victory he polled more than 72 per cent of the total votes, winning by a 6-to-1 margin over runner-up Kris Lind of the NDP. Van Dongen was first elected in a 1995 byelection, winning by just 2 per cent over Bill Kilpatrick of the Reform Party. The next year in the general election, Van Dongen beat New Democrat Bruce Temple far more decisively, winning twice the votes. Prior to Van Dongen Harry De Jong of the Social Credit Party, who beat Liberal Calvin Wickham by fewer than 150 votes in 1991, held the riding. Before that election, voters here were split between the old Central Fraser Valley and Chilliwack ridings. In the former, Socreds dominated throughout the 1970s and '80s. In the latter, Socreds reigned for 40 years.
In 2001, voter turnout in Abbotsford-Clayburn was 71.3 per cent – just above the provincial average.
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