Haldimand - Norfolk

This southwestern Ontario riding has Lake Erie and Long Point Bay as its southern boundary. It contains most of the county of Haldimand and all of the county of Norfolk, extending north to the city of Brantford and excluding the Six Nations and New Credit reserves. The riding contains the towns of Simcoe, Hagersville, Delhi and Port Dover.

Manufacturing, retail trade, health and social services, and agriculture are key sectors of the economy. Dairy and tobacco farming are significant to the agriculture sector. According to the 2006 census, the average family income is $76,422 and unemployment is six per cent.

In 2004, a portion of Erie-Lincoln was added in the southeast part of the riding. The riding of Haldimand-Norfolk was created in 1976. It became Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant in 1996 by combining most of Haldimand-Norfolk with portions of Elgin-Norfolk and Oxford ridings.

Population: 107,775 (2006 census; an increase of 3.1% since 2001)

Political History

Conservative Diane Finley is serving her second term as MP. She beat Liberal candidate Bob Speller in the 2006 election by 7,522 votes. In the same year, Stephen Harper appointed Finley as minister for human resources and social development. In January 2007, she became minister of citizenship and immigration.

In the previous election, Finley edged out incumbent Speller. He had served four terms and Paul Martin had appointed him minister of agriculture and agri-food in 2003.

Progressive Conservative Bud Bradley held the riding from 1979-88.

Haldimand-Norfolk:

• 1979, 1980, 1984 - PC
• 1988, 1993 - LIB

Haldimand-Norfolk-Brant:

• 1997, 2000 - LIB

Haldimand-Norfolk:

• 2004, 2006 - CON