Souris - Moose Mountain

This riding is in Saskatchewan's southeast corner. The Qu'Appelle River forms the northeast border. Estevan and Weyburn are the two largest population centres; other communities include Grenfell, Moosomin and Carnduff, along with several First Nations reserves.

Eight per cent of the population is aboriginal and three per cent are immigrants. English is the mother tongue of 92 per cent. Nine per cent of residents over age 25 have a university certificate or degree.

Agriculture, including purebred cattle ranching, and its related industries are the big employers here. There is also some coal mining.

The 2006 census found an average family income of $74,029 and an unemployment rate of 3.7 per cent, the second-lowest in the province.

This riding was created in 1986. Ten years later, it added a handful of voters from Swift Current-Maple Creek-Assiniboia and Regina-Wascana. It was unaltered in the 2004 redistribution.

Population: 63,238 (2006 census; a decrease of 4.5% since 2001)

Political History

Conservative incumbent Ed Komarnicki won handily in 2006, defeating Liberal Lonny McKague while capturing 62 per cent of the vote. In 2004, Komarnicki defeated Grant Devine, who ran as an Independent. Devine was the Progressive Conservative premier of Saskatchewan from 1982 to 1991. Roy Bailey won this seat under the Reform banner in 1997, ousting one-term Liberal MP Bernie Collins by 4,655 votes. Bailey was re-elected handily in 2000 as a Canadian Alliance candidate.

Progressive Conservative Len Gustafson was the MP from 1979 until 1993.

• 1988 - PC
• 1993 - LIB
• 1997 - REF
• 2000 - CA
• 2004, 2006 - CON