Portage - Lisgar

This is a rural riding in southern Manitoba, west of Winnipeg. It runs from the U.S. border in the south to Lake Manitoba in the northeast corner. It includes Portage la Prairie, Winkler, Morden and Carman as well as Long Plain and Swan Lake reserves. The eastern part of Spruce Woods Provincial Park is in the west of the riding.

The riding is Canada's wheat belt and has a diversified agricultural industry, followed by manufacturing and health care and social services.

In the 2006 census, 24 per cent gave German as their mother tongue and 4.4 per cent gave French. Almost 11 per cent of residents over age 25 have a university certificate or degree. The average family income is $63,694 and unemployment is 3.6 per cent.

Portage-Lisgar was created in 1996 from 72 per cent of Lisgar-Marquette, 42 per cent of Portage-Interlake and 0.4 per cent of Brandon-Souris. In 2004, it kept 89 per cent of its former territory and added 10 per cent of Provencher in the east and one per cent of Selkirk-Interlake.

Population: 85,653 (2006 census; an increase of 2.7% since 2001)

Political History

Conservative Brian Pallister won his third term as MP in the 2006 election when he beat Liberal Garry McLean by more than 21,000 votes. Pallister was elected in 2004 with 65 per cent of the vote.

In 2000, Pallister ran under the Canadian Alliance banner and defeated Liberal Gerry Gebler by 11,185 votes. Jake Hoeppner, running as an Independent, came fourth. Hoeppner had prior success in the Lisgar-Marquette riding in 1993 when he was elected as a Reformer. As Progressive Conservative in 1997, Hoeppner defeated Pallister in Lisgar-Marquette by 1,449 votes. Hoeppner was kicked out of the Reform party in 1999 after he criticized its leader, Preston Manning, leaving Hoeppner to run as an Independent in the 2004 election.

The Progressive Conservatives dominated the riding from 1979 through to 1993 when PC Charlie Mayer served as MP for Portage-Marquette and Lisgar-Marquette. Mayer severed in several cabinet posts, including minister of state responsible for the Canadian Wheat Board, minister of western economic diversification, minister of agriculture and minister for small communities and rural areas.

Progressive Conservative George Muir held the old Lisgar riding from 1957 until he died in 1970. PC Jack Murta won the 1970 bylection there and was re-elected five times, serving until 1988.

Portage-Lisgar:

• 1997 - REF
• 2000 - CA
• 2004, 2006 - CON