Election 2021 Riding Profile: Churchill—Keewatinook Aski

Liberals aim to flip largest Manitoba riding The NDP are looking to hold off a challenge from a Liberal candidate in the Churchill—Keewatinook Aski riding. CTV's Mike Arsenault reports.

WINNIPEG — Manitobans can find out more information on the riding of Churchill—Keewatinook Aski, including who is running, the riding's political history and demographics.

CANDIDATES

Note: a * indicates the incumbent candidate.

2019 FEDERAL ELECTION

NDP candidate Niki Ashton won her fourth straight term securing 50.3 per cent of the vote beating out the next closest candidate, Conservative Cyara Bird.

HISTORY

The Churchill riding was first created in 1933 and it was renamed Churchill—Keewatinook Aski in 2012.

It has swung between Conservative, NDP, and Liberal representation.

The Progressive Conservatives held the riding from 1957 to 1979.

Liberal Elijah Harper served one term from 1993 to 1997. He is known as a key player in rejecting the Meech Lake Accord.

Cree actress Tina Keeper was elected as a Liberal MP for one term in 2006.

Other than Harper and Keeper, the riding has been represented by the NDP for the past 40 years, with Rod Murphy holding the seat from 1979 to 1993.

BOUNDARIES

The riding covers the entire top half of Manitoba.

It includes The Pas, Flin Flon, Peguis First Nation, Little Grand Rapids, and Churchill.

Most of the land is wilderness, with small communities scattered throughout the riding.

There are 10 First Nations in this riding.

INDUSTRIES

It includes Wapusk National Park of Canada.

Churchill is a world destination for tourism. The small town is known as the polar bear capital of the world.

The Keeyask Generating Station built by Manitoba Hydro in the riding.

The riding includes a cold-weather engine testing facility and is home to the Churchill Marine Observatory.

It includes six of the province’s major mines, mostly extracting gold, nickel, copper, and zinc.

DEMOGRAPHICS

Note: All demographic information is according to the 2016 census

The area has a population of 87,027 people and 54,295 are between the ages of 15 and 64.

The average income in the riding is $35,056.

2.8 per cent of the population identifies as a visible minority while 76.3 per cent identify as Indigenous.