Palliser

This riding takes in the southwest corner of Regina (the area west of Albert Street and south of the CP Rail line), plus the area south and west of that city. Outside Regina, the major population centre is Moose Jaw.

There is a small immigrant population – just over seven per cent – and 19 per cent of the population is older than 65. English is the mother tongue of 90 per cent of residents.

The riding depends on agriculture and the service sector. Transportation and warehousing account for about five per cent of jobs, helped by the Regina airport in the northeast part of the riding.

The 2006 census shows an average family income of $79,896 and an unemployment rate of 5.3 per cent.

Palliser was created in 1996, with most of its residents coming from the old Moose Jaw-Lake Centre and Regina-Wascana ridings.

Population: 65,956 (2006 census; a decrease of 2.0% since 2001)

Political History

Voters in Palliser returned Conservative Dave Batters in 2006 after a tight race with New Democrat Jo-Anne Dusel.

In 2004, Batters edged out New Democrat Dick Proctor by 124 votes. Proctor had held the seat since 1997, never winning by more than 3,000 votes.

Moose Jaw-Lake Centre was solidly Tory from 1958 to 1988, then narrowly went to New Democrat Rod Laporte in the 1988 election. That same year, voters in Regina-Wascana elected Tory Larry Schneider.

In 1993, Schneider was replaced by Liberal Ralph Goodale, who became the minister of agriculture that same year. Goodale has continued to be elected in Wascana and was named minister of finance in 2003.

Palliser:

• 1997, 2000 - NDP
• 2004, 2006 - CON