TRURO-BIBLE HILL (49)
formerly 50

Candidates:

Current MLA: Jamie Muir (PC), Minister of Justice

Riding Profile: This riding includes the town of Truro, the village of Bible Hill, the Millbrook First Nation, and a small portion of Colchester County. It's an urban area that is home to the Nova Scotia Agricultural College and the Truro campus of the Nova Scotia Community College. About 1,700 high school students attend the Cobequid Education Centre.

The communities are prosperous and education levels are above the provincial average, with 15 per cent of the population holding a university degree. The average income is $24,900, and the riding's population is 19,960.

The Millbrook community has recently undergone a building boom, with new cinemas, a motel, an entertainment centre and a multimillion-dollar aquaculture facility under construction at its Truro Power Centre.

Truro, "the Hub of Nova Scotia", is a retail and trade centre with stores such as Staples, Wal-Mart, and Margolians.

A large number of people are employed in manufacturing. The Crossley Carpet Factory, Stanfield's, Intertape Polymer and Scotsburn Dairy are located in Truro.

Issues: High-profile issues in this area are the high cost of liability insurance for drivers and property owners. The condition of roads and a proposed $100-million hospital for Truro and the surrounding counties are other concerns. No site has been chosen for the hospital, but the government says 25 per cent of its price tag must be raised privately.

Political History: This riding came into being in 1978, and has been a PC stronghold except in 1993, when Liberal Eleanor Norrie won the seat. She became a cabinet minister in a government led by Russell MacLellan.

1999: PC Jamie Muir polled 4,747 votes, 54 per cent of the total, to defeat NDP Ibel Scammell (28 per cent) and LIB Matthew Graham (18 per cent). 1998: PC Jamie Muir defeated LIB Eleanor Norrie by 1,100 votes. 1993: LIB Eleanor Norrie defeated PC Jack Coupar by 187 votes. 1988: PC Ron Giffin defeated LIB Kirby Grant by 989 votes. 1984: PC Ron Giffin defeated LIB Kirby Grant by 2,755 votes. 1981: PC Ron Giffin defeated LIB Sylvia Roy by 2,927 votes.

Voter Turnout: 65 per cent in 1999.