LABRADOR WEST (24)

Candidates:

Liberal: Doris Sacrey PC: Graham Letto Labrador Party: Ernest (Ern) Condon NDP: Randy Collins

Current MHA: Randy Collins (NDP)

District Profile: Labrador West is the iron ore capital of Canada with two modern mining communities - Labrador City and Wabush. With both mines unionized, the area is considered a strong base of labour support.

Tony Dawson has this look at the candidates and issues in Labrador West (runs 2:57).

Candidate profiles:
New Democrat Randy Collins was born in Gambo, and graduated from Smallwood Academy. He moved to Labrador City in 1972. He was employed by the Iron Ore Company of Canada for 25 years and has an interprovincial millwright certificate. He was elected to the executive of the USWA Local 5795 from 1978 to 1991 including the position of president from 1985-1991. In 1991, Collins was elected as staff representative to the USWA. Collins was elected to the House of Assembly as MHA for Labrador West in the provincial election of 1999, having run twice in the federal riding of Labrador.

Conservative Graham Letto is the mayor of Labrador City. He’s served on the council since 1989. Letto has been president of the Combined Councils of Labrador and a director of the provincial municipalities federation. He worked with the Iron Ore Company of Canada for 29 years, retiring last year.

Ern Condon of the Labrador Party is the party’s leader and a founding organizer. As a community activist and member of Labrador City’s town council, Condon has been critical of Labrador’s treatment by the rest of the province. In 2000, he warned Labrador separatism was on the rise. Condon chairs Labradorians for Peaceful Communities, and has been a board member of the AIDS Committee of Newfoundland and Labrador and the Hyron Economic Development Corp. Condon is a retired guidance counsellor, as well as a former town councillor in Wabush.

Liberal Doris Sacrey is a businessperson with experience as a certified financial planner and insurance professional. A long-time activist in the party, she has lived in western Labrador for 29 years. Stacey is a director of the area's chamber of commerce and Labrador City's beautification committee. She also has volunteered the with local economic development board.

Political History: The district was originally the district of Menihek but in the redistribution of 1995 it became Labrador West.

1999: In 1999, NDP Randy Collins defeated Canning by 156 votes. 1996: After the redistribution of 1995, Liberal Perry Canning beat Snow in 1996 in the new Labrador West. 1989 - 1993: In 1989, PC Alec Snow was elected, and held on to the seat in 1993. 1985 - 1989: Fenwick was re-elected in 1985 and did not run in 1989. 1984: Menihek was traditionally Tory except for a period in 1980s. In a byelection held in 1984, ND Peter Fenwick was elected. Fenwick was the first New Democratic MHA ever elected.