Nipissing - Timiskaming

This Northern Ontario riding stretches from Lake Timiskaming south along the Ottawa River and has Algonquin Park on its southern edge.

It includes North Bay, Temagami, New Liskeard, Powassan, Cobalt and Mattawa. There are several Indian reserves, including the Temagami Reserve.

About 18 per cent of residents listed French as their mother tongue in the 2006 census. Tourism is an important industry, with retail and service sectors the largest employers. There is a small manufacturing base in the North Bay region, as well as Canadore College/Nipissing University. Average family income is $70,762 and unemployment is 7.7 per cent.

The riding was renamed in 2004 and expanded north, adding part of Timiskaming-Cochrane. In 1996, the boundaries were redrawn to include part of Parry Sound-Muskoka. The riding of Nipissing was established in 1892.

Population: 90,963 (2006 census; an increase of 1.9% since 2001)

Political History

In 2006, Liberal Anthony Rota won over Conservative candidate Peter Chirico by 4,882 votes and is serving his second term in the riding.

Rota defeated Al McDonald of the Conservatives by 2,253 votes in 2004.

Liberal Bob Wood served four terms as MP from 1988 to 2004.

The riding of Nipissing voted Conservative from 1908 to 1917 and Liberal from 1921 to 1980. From 1972 to 1984, Liberal Jean-Jacques Blais was MP, serving as postmaster general, solicitor general, minister of supply and services and minister of defence. In 1984, he was defeated by Tory Moe Mantha.

• 1896 - CON
• 1900, 1904 - LIB
• 1908-17 inclusive - CON
• 1921-80 inclusive - LIB
• 1984 - PC
• Since 1988 - LIB