CAPE BRETON CENTRE (5)

Candidates:

Current MLA: Frank Corbett (NDP)

Riding Profile: Cape Breton Centre is primarily an urban riding, taking in the town of New Waterford, Reserve Mines and a part of the town of Dominion.

This is an area with a rich mining history - but the last coal mine in the riding, Phelan, closed in 1999. Many of the people living in this riding would be former coal miners. So far, not much economic activity has moved into the area to replace the mines - although the MP for the area recently announced a $4 million building for New Waterford to house a hoped-for call centre by the fall.

The unemployment rate is running at about 16 per cent and the average income is $20,800. The total population is 16,260. About half the people have some post-secondary training and a high school diploma while the other half did not complete Grade 12.

Issues: Jobs is an important one. Locals feel New Waterford hasn't received much in the way of job creation money since the mines closed. Many miners are spending six months in Alberta doing construction work, trying to make ends meet. People in the community are looking to someone to bring employment to the town.

The future of the local hospital is also an issue. It's a smaller hospital, and the local health authority wants to close the ER at night, directing patients instead to Glace Bay or Sydney. People in the community believe that's the first step towards closing the hospital, despite assurances from health officials.

Other issues include the condition of the roads and auto insurance.

Political History: In recent years, Conservatives have proven to be an endangered species in this coal miners' riding. No PC has been elected for 20 years.

1999: NDP Frank Corbett received 4,042 votes to LIB Susan Marsh Deruelle with 2,985. The PC candidate John Morrissey received 446 votes. 1998: NDP Frank Corbett defeated LIB Steve Drake by 3,000 votes. PC Julien Frison was a distant third. 1993: LIB Russell MacNeil defeated NDP Victor Tomiczek by 3,000 votes. PC Julien Frison was third. 1990: A byelection in which LIB Russell MacNeil defeated NDP John Stevens by 800 votes. 1989: A byelection in which LIB Russell MacNeil defeated PC "Big" Harold MacDonald by three votes. Declared void. 1988: LIB Buzzy Connors defeated PC "Big" Harold MacDOnald by 1,471 votes.

Voter Turnout: 71 per cent in 1999.