CHESTER-ST.MARGARET'S (10)
formerly 12

Candidates:

Current MLA: John Chataway (PC)

Riding Profile: The riding was first carved out in 1993 and includes areas of both Lunenburg and Halifax counties. In Lunenburg it includes the municipality of Chester, the home of sailors during Chester Race week and a favourite summer place for the wealthy. Oak Island Resort and Ross Farm in New Ross are other tourism draws.

Nova Scotia's number one tourism attraction, the village of Peggy's Cove and the rugged coastal hamlets of Indian Harbour and Seabright also form part of this riding. Chester-St.Margaret's also includes residents of Hubbards and thousands of people who work in Halifax but live in new subdivisions clustered in and around St.Margaret's Bay.

The biggest employers are in the Chester area and included plastics manufacturers and the Canexel wood processing plant. Tourism and the services sector account for one-third of all jobs in the area.

The average income is $27,440 and the population is 19,720. Educational levels mirror the provincial average with 36 per cent having some post-secondary training.

Issues: The twinning of Highway 103 to Bridgewater is a major safety issue; access to timely health care, the shortage of family doctors and long waits for cancer treatment and orthopedic surgery are issues. Car insurance and the need for improvements to backroads such as the Windsor Road between New Ross and Kentville are also important issues.

Political History: This riding was formed in 1993 from all of Lunenburg East, Big and Little Tancook Islands from Lunenburg Centre, and the St.Margaret's Bay suburban area outside Halifax . It has elected members of all three political stripes and the races have become tighter in recent years. More of a three way split.

The NDP candidate in this election, surgeon Hinrich Bitter-Suermann, was first elected as a PC in 1998. He resigned and sat as an IND. before joining the NDP caucus.

1999: PC John Chataway defeated NDP Hinrich Bitter-Suermann by 1,095 votes. Chataway took 4,193. LIB Karen Willis-Duerden was third with 1,971 votes. 1998: PC Hinrich Bitter-Suermann defeated LIB Jim Barkhouse by 103 votes. NDP Doris Maley was a close third with 2,837 votes. 1993: LIB Jim Barkhouse defeated PC Aileen Heisler by 2,140 votes. NDP Jack Ross was third and Malcolm Callaway ran as an Independent.

Voter Turnout: 71.5 per cent in 1999.