Calgary East

This riding is in central Calgary, bounded on the south by the Deerfoot Trail Southeast and 114th Avenue Southeast, in the east by the city limits and in the north by the Trans-Canada Highway. The western boundary runs from the CP Rail line to the Elbow River, Memorial Drive Southeast and the Deerfoot Trail Northeast.

More than 24 per cent of the residents are immigrants. In the 2006 census, 16 per cent of the population listed their ethnic origin as German, six per cent as Ukrainian, and just under six per cent as Chinese. Twenty-five per cent listed a mother tongue other than English of French. The largest in this group was Vietnamese at four per cent, followed by Chinese at 3.5 per cent.

Significant employers include manufacturing, construction and retail trade. Rail lines and the Trans-Canada Highway support transportation and storage industries. The average family income is $70,783 and unemployment is 4.6 per cent.

Calgary East was formed in 1996 from nearly equal portions of Calgary Northeast and Calgary Southeast ridings. In 2004, the riding added another 13,683 people from Calgary Southeast. Historically, Calgary East existed from 1914 to 1952 and from 1976 to 1986.

Population: 110,479 (2006 census; a decrease of 4.4% since 2001)

Political History

Deepak Obhrai has represented the riding for the past four terms. He gained office with the Reform Party in 1997, defeating a Tory by 6,042 votes. As a Conservative in 2004, Obhrai's margin was 14,276 votes over a Liberal, James Maxim. In the 2006 election, Obhrai defeated Liberal candidate Dobie To by 21,356 votes to secure his seat and another term.

Prior to the 1996 redistribution, Calgary Northeast and Calgary Southeast were represented by Reform Party members. Before that, Tories had long been dominant.

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