KINGS NORTH (35)

Candidates:

Liberal: Michael Landry NDP: Jim Morton PC: Mark Parent MP: Ben "Budman" Friesen

Current MLA: Mark Parent (PC)

Riding Profile: Agriculture is "king" in Kings North, home to about half of the province's 600 farms. Chicken, vegetables, and pork are the main commodities and Maple Leaf Poultry and Sarsfield Foods are large employers.

The riding includes the northern part of Kings County overlooking the scenic Minas Basin at Cape Blomidon and the town of Kentville, where Valley Regional Hospital is located.

Unemployment in this area is second only to Halifax and skills shortages are becoming an issue in both the manufacturing and services sector along the New Minas "corridor", as well as at harvest time.

The population is 20,390 and the average income is $23,870. About 37 per cent of the voters have some post-secondary training and the same percentage have not completed high school.

Issues: Family farms struggling to stay alive, a commitment to twin Highway 101 from Avonport to Coldbrook, car insurance, shortage of family doctors.

Political History: Kings North has been a bastion of Tory strength for 25 years. PC George Archibald represented the constituency from 1984 until he retired from politics in 1999.

The results of the 1999 election race were interesting: NDP Neil McNeil finished second with 2,513 votes to PC Mark Parent with 4,321. LIB Peter Hill finished third with 1,975 votes. The PCs took 41 per cent of the popular vote.

Voter Turnout: 68 per cent.