ANTIGONISH (2)

Candidates:

Liberal: David Cameron NDP: Terry O'Toole PC: Angus "Tando" MacIsaac MP: Gene Purdy

Current MLA: Angus "Tando" MacIsaac, Min. of Education

Riding Profile: The riding of Antigonish faces St.Georges Bay and includes the town of Antigonish (pop. 5,000) and the County of Antigonish (pop. 15,000). It includes the Acadian community of Pomquet and Mi'kmaq community of Afton.

Antigonish is a university town that is home to St.Francis Xavier University and the Coady International Institute. The University and St. Martha's Hospital are the two main employers although the town acts as a retail and service center for all of northeastern N.S.

It bills itself as "a good place to retire" with household incomes and education levels above the provincial average. Two-thirds of the population has high school or some post-secondary education.

In the County, lobster fishing, forestry and farming generate more than $60 million in sales a year. Tourism and the Sable Offshore Project provide a limited number of jobs.

Issues: Twinning of Highway 104, auto insurance, health services at St. Martha's, out-migration of youth.

Political History: Traditionally, Liberal territory. It was a Liberal riding held by Bill Gillis from 1970-1998 when Gillis retired and Hyland Fraser continued the Liberal reign.

1999: PC Angus MacIsaac squeaked past Liberal Hyland Fraser by 12 votes in a closely contested race. MacIsaac's first trip to the legislature since 1969 when he was MLA for Guysborough. 1999: PC 4,070    LIB 4,058   NDP 2,229

Voter Turnout: 78 per cent.