Mississauga East - Cooksville

This Greater Toronto Area riding contains an ethnically diverse part of Mississauga.

The riding boundaries are Queensway East and Queensway West to the south, Highway 403, Central Parkway East and Burnhamthorpe Road East to the north, Etobicoke Creek to the east and Mavis Road to the west.

According to the 2006 census, the immigrant population is about 61 per cent, with significant Indian and Chinese communities. Only 37 per cent listed English as their mother tongue.

This riding is predominantly residential, with the manufacturing sector being the major employer. Average family income is $71,098 and unemployment is 7.8 per cent. About 40 per cent of dwellings are rented.

The riding of Mississauga East-Cooksville was created in 2004 from 75 per cent of Mississauga East and 34 per cent of Mississauga Centre. Mississauga East was created in 1986 by combining Mississauga North and Mississauga South. Prior to 1966, the riding was known as Peel.

Population: 126,642 (2006 census; an increase of 3.3% since 2001)

Political History

In 2006, Liberal Albina Guarnieri received 51 per cent of the vote and beat Conservative Carl DeFaria, who ended up with only 31 per cent.

In 2004, Guarnieri defeated Conservative Riina DeFaria. Guarnieri, who was the MP for Mississauga East from 1988, was named minister of state for civil preparedness in December 2003. Paul Martin named her minister of veterans affairs in 2004.

Peel riding elected Conservatives from 1900 until 1962, then sent a Liberal to Ottawa from 1962 to 1972. The riding alternated between the two main political parties in the 1970s and 1980s. PC Bob Horner was elected MP for Mississauga in 1984.

• Since 1988 - LIB