DIGBY-ANNAPOLIS (21)
formerly 23

Candidates:

Liberal: Harold "Junior" Theriault NDP: Deborah Trask PC: Gordon Balser NSP: Gordon Reid

Current MLA: Gordon Balser (PC), Minister of Agriculture

Riding Profile: Digby-Annapolis includes the town of Digby, the district of Digby, Cornwallis Park, two districts in Annapolis County and the Bear River reserve. The population is 14,350 with about one-third of the people living in Digby, home to the Digby Scallop Festival, a provincial resort, and the Digby General Hospital.

While fishing, fish processing and manufacturing are important and generate about 25 per cent of employment, more people have jobs in the services and trade sectors.

The riding is home to a provincial theme park, and wilderness areas that include Kejimkujik National Park and whale watching in the Bay of Fundy.

Educational and income levels in the riding are lower than the Nova Scotia average. The average income is $20,130 and 32 per cent have some form of post-secondary training. The unemployment rate is about 11 per cent.

Issues:

• Environment: the government's approval of a stone quarry on Digby Neck has angered many residents who continue to fight it.
• Job creation: the population has dropped 15 per cent in 10 years.
• Health care: a shortage of family doctors and difficulty retaining services at the hospital.
• Roads and car insurance.

Political History: The riding was created in 1993 when Digby merged with the western half of Annapolis West. The former riding of Digby was held by veteran Liberal Joe Casey from 1970-1998 with only one lapse from 1984-1988, when Casey did not run and PC Merryl Lawton won the seat.

1999: PC cabinet minister Gordon Balser received 3,780 votes to defeat LIB Vivian O'Neil who polled 1,550. NDP Steve Downes got 1,105. 1998: PC Gordon Balser defeated LIB John Drish by 250 votes. NDP Steve Downes ran third. 1993: LIB Joe Casey thumped PC Walter MacAlpine by 4,000 votes. NDP Susan Jamieson was third with 797.

Voter Turnout: 64 per cent in 1999.