Peterborough

This central Ontario riding contains the city of Peterborough and part of Peterborough County.

It stretches between Rice Lake and the Trent River in the south and Buckhorn Lake and Stony Lake in the north. The communities of Havelock, Norwood and Lakefield and the Curve Lake First Nation and Hiawatha First Nation reserves are in the riding.

Peterborough is home to Trent University. Manufacturing, the service sector, health sector and tourism all contribute to employment in the area. Average family income is $60,921 and unemployment is 7.4 per cent.

The riding was established in 1952. In 2004, the western border around Highway 7 near Peterborough was changed.

Population: 116,626 (2006 census; an increase of 5.2% since 2001)

Political History

After electing Liberal candidates since 1993, this riding sent a Conservative MP to Ottawa in the 2006 election. Tory Dean Del Mastro won over Liberal Diane Lloyd by 2,242 votes.

In 2004, Liberal Peter Adams defeated Conservative James Jackson, winning his fourth term in office.

This riding has elected Liberals and Conservatives over the past half century, and a founder of the New Democratic Party of Canada, Walter Pitman, as a New Party candidate in the 1960 byelection.

PC Fred Stenson won in 1962 and 1963. Liberal Hugh Faulkner was elected to four terms, beginning in 1965. He was appointed secretary of state in 1972, minister of state for science and technology in 1976 and minister of Indian affairs and northern development. In 1979, he was defeated by PC Bill Domm, who held office until 1993.

• 1953, 1957, 1958 - PC
• 1960 byelection - NP
• 1962, 1963 - PC
• 1965-74 inclusive - LIB
• 1979-88 inclusive - PC
• 1993, 1997, 2000, 2004 - LIB
• 2006 - CON