London West

This southwestern Ontario riding contains the western part of the city of London. It stretches from the London city limits in the north and west to Dingman Creek, Southdale Road West, Wharncliffe Road South and Commissioners Road East in the south and Wonderland Road North, Oxford Street West, Wharncliffe Road North, the Thames River and the CN Rail line in the east.

Health care and social services, educational services, retail trade and manufacturing are major sources of employment. According to the 2006 census, the average family income is $87,310 and unemployment is six per cent.

London West was created in 1966. In 1996, the boundaries were redrawn to take in part of London East and London-Middlesex.

Population: 118,335 (2006 census; an increase of 6.6% since 2001)

Political History

Liberal Sue Barnes is serving her fifth term in the London West riding, which has voted Liberal since 1993. In the 2006 election, Barnes defeated Conservative Al Gretzky by 1,329 votes.

In 2004, Barnes beat Conservative challenger Mike Menear by 7,726 votes.

London West elected cabinet minister Judd Buchanan from 1968 to 1980. He was minister of public works, minister of state for science and technology and president of the Treasury Board under Pierre Trudeau, but resigned his seat when Trudeau did not put him back in his cabinet in 1980.

Liberal Jack Burghardt won a 1981 byelection, defeating Progressive Conservative Tom Hockin. But Hockin came back to beat Burghardt in 1984 and was re-elected in 1988. Hockin served as minister of state for finance, minister of small business and minister of international trade before he was defeated in 1993.

• 1968-81 byelection inclusive - LIB
• 1984, 1988 - PC
• 1993-2006 inclusive - LIB