Lambton - Kent - Middlesex

This rural riding in southwestern Ontario runs from Lake Huron in the northwest to the Thames River in the southeast and Lake St. Clair in the southwest.

It contains the city of Lambton Shores, the townships of Brooke-Alvinston, Dawn-Euphemia and Warwick and part of Middlesex County. A portion of the city of Chatham-Kent lying northwest of the Thames River falls within the riding. It contains several native reserves, including the Chippewas of the Thames, Kettle Point No. 44, Walpole Island No. 46 and Oneida No. 41.

The major source of employment is manufacturing, which provides almost 17 per cent of jobs, followed by agriculture and health and social services. According to the 2006 census the average family income is $78.075 and unemployment is 5.3 per cent.

The riding of Lambton-Middlesex-Kent was created in 2004 from 84 per cent of Lambton-Kent-Middlesex, 21 per cent of Perth-Middlesex and a small part of Elgin-Middlesex-London. The riding extends further east to the London city limits than the former Lambton-Kent-Middlesex riding did.

Population: 107,635 (2006 census; an increase of 2.2% since 2001)

Political History

The Conservative party took this riding in the 2006 election when party candidate Bev Shipley earned 46 per cent of the vote and won over Liberal Jeff Wesley, who received 31 per cent.

In the previous election, Liberal incumbent Rose-Marie Ur defeated Shipley by 164 votes. It was Ur's fourth consecutive election win.

Lambton-Middlesex:

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

Lambton-Kent-Middlesex:

• 1997, 2000 - LIB

Middlesex-Kent-Lambton:

• 2004 - LIB
• 2006 - CON