CAPE BRETON WEST (9)

Candidates:

Liberal: Russell MacKinnon NDP: Doug MacKinlay PC: Ivan Doncaster

Current MLA: Russell MacKinnon (LIB)

Riding Profile: This is a largely rural riding, stretching across much of eastern Cape Breton.

It takes in the suburban area just outside Sydney consisting of Sydney River, Howie Centre and Sydney Forks. This is a generally prosperous area.

The riding extends right across to the Atlantic coast, taking in smaller, scattered communities such as Louisbourg and Marion Bridge on the Mira River.

It's also home to the province's largest First Nations community at Eskasoni.

The population is spread out and totals 20,230. The average income is $24,200. Education levels are at the provincial average, with 11 per cent having earned at least one university degree.

Unemployment stands at 16 per cent; the Fortress of Louisbourg, tourism and a service-based economy generating most of the jobs. Fishing is important, too, particularly along the Atlantic coast.

The main highways in the riding, including the highway to Louisbourg, (the island's biggest draw) the Number 4 and the Eskasoni Highway are all in terrible condition.

Issues: People say roads are the biggest and really the only issue for them. Car insurance is another significant issue.

Political History: Liberal Russell MacKinnon, a land surveyor by training, was first elected in 1988. He resigned the seat in 1995 to protest the government's forced amalgamation in the Cape Breton regional municipality. PC "Big Alfie" MacLeod won the seat in the resulting byelection, but MacKinnon won the seat back in 1998.

Ivan Doncaster, the Tory candidate this time around, is a municipal councillor for the CBRM.

1999: LIB Russell MacKinnon won handily with more than 52 per cent of the vote. NDP Brian Slaney finished second with 34 per cent. PC Joe Boudreau polled 1,375 votes. 1998: LIB Russell MacKinnon defeated NDP Brian Slaney by 1,595 votes. 1995: In an October byelection, PC Alfie MacLeod defeated LIB Gerry Delaney by 200 votes. Brian Slaney was third for the NDP. 1993: LIB Russell MacKinnon defeated NDP Victor Hanham by 5,300 votes. 1988: LIB Russell MacKinnon defeated PC Alfie MacLeod by 2,000 votes.

Voter Turnout: in the last election was 78 per cent.