Cypress Hills - Grasslands

This riding covers the southwest corner of Saskatchewan. The South Saskatchewan River is the boundary in the northeast corner and runs across the northern part of the riding.

Swift Current is the riding’s largest city; other communities include Assiniboia, Gravelbourg, Shaunavon and Maple Creek.

Twenty per cent of the population is over age 65. Less than three per cent are immigrants, and about the same percentage are aboriginal. English is the mother tongue of 84 per cent of residents, followed by German at just under 10 per cent.

Agriculture is big business here, with farmers raising everything from cattle to spring wheat to specialty crops such as lentils and chickpeas. The Department of Agriculture's Swift Current Research Centre is an important facility here. Gas and oil production are also significant. The 2006 census shows an average family income of $62,234. The unemployment rate is 3.4 per cent, the lowest in the province.

This riding was created in 1996, with most of its population coming from the old Swift Current-Maple Creek-Assiniboia riding. Further redistribution added about 1,800 people from Saskatoon-Rosetown-Biggar.

Population: 60,551 (2006 census; a decrease of 7.2% since 2001)

Political History

In the 2006 election, David Anderson of the Conservatives won 66 per cent of the vote to defeat Liberal Mike Eason. That made a hat trick for Anderson, who also won in 2004, defeating Liberal Bill Caton and New Democrat Jeff Potts.

Anderson was first elected in 2000 to succeed the Reform's Lee Morrison. Morrison won narrowly over the Liberal candidate in 1993, unseating PC incumbent Geoff Wilson, who placed fourth. Morrison won handily in 1997.

Before Morrison, Tories held sway here for 35 years.

Swift Current-Maple Creek:

• 1953, 1957 - LIB
• 1958-84 inclusive - PC

Swift Current-Maple Creek-Assiniboia:

• 1988 - PC
• 1993 - REF

Cypress Hills-Grasslands:

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