BONAVISTA SOUTH(5)

Candidates:

Current MLA: Roger Fitzgerald (PC)

District Profile: A rural district with dependence on fishing, forestry and agriculture. Tourism has had emerging importance in the local economy.

Communities in district include: Bonavista, Birchy Cove, Bloomfield, Brooklyn, Charleston, Catalina, Duntara, Elliston, Hodderville, Jameston, Keels, Kings Cove, Knights Cove, Lethbridge, Little Catalina, Lower Amherst Cove, Melrose, Middle Amherst Cove, Morley's Siding, Newman's Cove, Open Hall, Plate Cove East, Plate Cove West, Portland, Port Union, Princeton, Red Cliff, Siding, Spillar's Cove, Southern Bay, Stock Cove, Summerville, Sweet Bay, Tickle Cove, Upper Amherst Cove, Winter Brook.

Candidate Profiles:

Betty Fitzgerald is the mayor of Bonavista. She first was elected to the council in 1989. She was a health care worker at the local hospital until retiring in 2001. Fitzgerald notes she has served as a volunteer with municipal, tourism, economic development and heritage groups for 35 years.

Roger Fitzgerald was born May 5, 1947. A journeyman electrician by trade, he also worked as a counsellor under the Northern Cod Adjustment and Recovery Program before being elected. He's currently the Opposition critic for municipal affairs, and has shadowed social services, fisheries and rural development.

New Democrat Sam Kelly has been a carpenter with the Avalon East school board for almost three decades, although he's currently laid off. He's president of the St. John's and District Labour Council. Kelly also is on the executives of the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Labour and CUPE's provincial council. Kelly has run for the party in three different districts. Trinity North (1989), Fogo (1993) and Mount Pearl (1996). He was born in Tickle Cove, Bonavista Bay.

Political History:

1989 - 1999: Liberal Aubrey Gover won in 1989, beating Roger Fitzgerald by 20 votes. Four years later, Fitzgerald defeated Gover. Fitzgerald retained the seat in the redistributed district in 1996, defeating Kay Young, the Liberal member from neighbouring Terra Nova. In 1999, Fitzgerald easily kept the seat with 71 per cent of the vote. 1989 - 1996: Liberal Aubrey Gover won in 1989, beating Roger Fitzgerald by 20 votes. Four years later, Fitzgerald defeated Gover. Fitzgerald retained the seat in the redistributed district in 1996, defeating Kay Young, the Liberal member from neighbouring Terra Nova. 1959 - 1989: From 1959 to 1971, Bonavista South was home to Liberal Ross Barbour. He was succeeded by the colourful PC politician, Jim Morgan. A cabinet minister under premiers Frank Moores and Brian Peckford, Morgan held the seat through four elections before quitting in 1989.