RICHMOND (45)

Candidates:

Current MLA: Michel Samson (LIB)

Riding Profile: Another of Cape Breton's rural ridings, Richmond starts at the heavily industrialized community of Point Tupper (the home of Stora Enso, Statia Terminals, Nova Scotia Power and the natural gas refractionation plant) and continues up the Atlantic coast of Cape Breton.

Outside the industrialized area of Point Tupper, the main occupations in this riding would be in fisheries, forestry and tourism. Richmond County includes the Chapel Island Reserve and the communities of St. Peter's and Arichat.

There is a large francophone component to this riding (25 per cent) because it includes the Acadian island of Isle Madame. Observers say this riding often splits down cultural and linguistic lines and can be very difficult to predict.

The total population is 10,560 and declining. The average income is $21,340 and the unemployment rate is 16 per cent.

Political History: Liberal incumbent Michel Samson is from Isle Madame; in 1998, at age 25, he became the youngest member ever elected to the Nova Scotia legislature.

His PC opponent this time has an equally high profile. Richie Cotton is a longtime member of the Strait school board and municipal council. He most recently served as warden of Richmond County. He lives in Louisdale, which falls just outside the francophone part of the riding.

1999: LIB Michel Samson won handily, taking 47 per cent of the popular vote. PC Joseph MacPhee received 28 per cent and NDP Wilma Conrod polled 24 per cent. 1998: LIB Michel Samson defeated NDP Wilma Conrod by 1,179 votes. PC Frank Sutherland was third. 1993: LIB Richie Mann defeated PC Chuck Boudreau by 3,853 votes. Resigned in February 1998. 1988: LIB Richie Mann defeated PC Robert Martel by 393 votes. 1984: PC Greg MacIsaac defeated LIB Richie Mann by 472 votes.

Voter Turnout: 82 per cent in 1999.