Halifax (federal electoral district) explained

Halifax
Province:Nova Scotia
Fed-Status:active
Fed-District-Number:12005
Fed-Created:1867
Fed-Election-First:1867
Fed-Election-Last:2021
Fed-Rep:Andy Fillmore
Fed-Rep-Party:Liberal
Fed-Rep-Party-Link:Liberal Party of Canada
Demo-Pop-Ref:[1]
Demo-Area-Ref:[2]
Demo-Census-Date:2021
Demo-Pop:107010
Demo-Electors:75692
Demo-Electors-Date:2021
Demo-Area:214.58
Demo-Cd:Halifax
Demo-Csd:Halifax

Halifax is a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada. It is one of a handful of ridings which has been represented continuously (albeit with different boundaries and different numbers of members) in the House of Commons since Confederation in 1867.

The riding of Halifax includes the communities of Spryfield, Sambro, Herring Cove, Harrietsfield, Williamswood, Prospect, Purcell's Cove, Armdale, Cowie Hill, Fairmount, Kline Heights, and the Halifax Peninsula.

History

The electoral district was created at Confederation in 1867. It returned two members until 1968.

The most notable of the riding's MPs was Robert Borden, who was Conservative leader from 1901–1920, and Prime Minister of Canada from 1911-1920. Borden represented the riding from 1896–1904 and again from 1909-1917. Another notable MP was Robert Stanfield, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party from 1967-1976, who represented the riding from 1968-1979.

Halifax was represented by the New Democratic Party from 1997 to 2015, with the Liberal Party coming in second in every election from 2000 to 2015. The riding's boundaries were re-distributed in 2004. Before that date, it comprised the peninsula of Halifax, the community of Fairview, and part of Clayton Park.

Alexa McDonough, who stepped down as NDP leader in 2003, but stayed on to represent Halifax in the House of Commons. McDonough ran for re-election against popular city councillor Sheila Fougere in 2004, who came within 1000 votes of beating the incumbent. McDonough pulled ahead based in part on a strong showing in Halifax's North End. On June 2, 2008, McDonough announced that she would not seek re-election.[3]

Following the 2012 redistribution, the riding gained a small part of the riding of Halifax West, on the eastern side of Long Lake Provincial Park.

Demographics

All information presented is according to the 2016 Canadian census.

Ethnic Groups: 80% European, 4.4% African Canadian, 3.8% Chinese, 3.2% Indigenous, 2.8% South Asian, 2.6% Arab
Average Age: 40.0
Average Household Size: 2.0
Languages (Mother Tongue): 83.7% English, 2.4% Arabic, 2.4% Mandarin, 2.3% French
Median household income: $56,207

Geography

The district includes the old city of Halifax except for the extreme western part, the area along the west coast of Halifax Harbour and along the Atlantic Ocean until Pennant. It also includes Sable Island. The area is 214.58km2.

Members of Parliament

Halifax was a two-member riding from 1867 to 1968, electing its members through block voting. Since 1968, it has elected just one MP in each election, electing its member though first past the post.

This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:

ParliamentYearsMemberPartyMemberParty
Halifax
1st1867–1869   Alfred Gilpin JonesAnti-Confederation   Patrick PowerAnti-Confederation
1869–1870   Independent   Liberal
1870–1872   Independent Liberal
2nd1872–1874   William Johnston AlmonLiberal–Conservative   Stephen TobinLiberal
3rd1874–1878   Patrick PowerIndependent Liberal   Alfred Gilpin JonesIndependent
4th1878–1882   Matthew Henry RicheyLiberal–Conservative   Malachy Bowes DalyLiberal–Conservative
5th1882–1883
1883–1887   John Fitzwilliam StairsConservative
6th1887–1891   Alfred Gilpin JonesLiberal   Thomas Edward KennyConservative
7th1891–1896   John Fitzwilliam StairsConservative
8th1896–1900Robert Borden   Benjamin RussellLiberal
9th1900–1904William Roche
10th1904–1908   Michael CarneyLiberal
11th1908–1911   Robert BordenConservative   Adam Brown CrosbyConservative
12th1911–1917   Alexander Kenneth MacleanLiberal
13th1917–1921   Peter Francis MartinGovernment (Unionist)   Government (Unionist)
14th1921–1922   Edward BlackadderLiberal   Liberal
1922–1923Robert Emmett Finn
1923–1925   William Anderson BlackConservative
15th1925–1926   Felix Patrick QuinnConservative
16th1926–1930
17th1930–1935
18th1935–1940   Gordon Benjamin IsnorLiberal   Robert Emmett FinnLiberal
19th1940–1945William Chisholm Macdonald
20th1945–1947
1947–1949John Dickey
21st1949–1950
1950–1953Samuel Rosborough Balcom
22nd1953–1957
23rd1957–1958   Robert McCleaveProgressive Conservative   Edmund L. MorrisProgressive Conservative
24th1958–1962
25th1962–1963
26th1963–1965   John LloydLiberal   Gerald ReganLiberal
27th1965–1968   Robert McCleaveProgressive Conservative   Michael ForrestallProgressive Conservative
28th1968–1972   Robert StanfieldProgressive Conservative
29th1972–1974
30th1974–1979
31st1979–1980George Cooper
32nd1980–1984   Gerald ReganLiberal
33rd1984–1988   Stewart McInnesProgressive Conservative
34th1988–1993   Mary ClancyLiberal
35th1993–1997
36th1997–2000   Alexa McDonoughNew Democratic
37th2000–2004
38th2004–2006
39th2006–2008
40th2008–2011Megan Leslie
41st2011–2015
42nd2015–2019   Andy FillmoreLiberal
43rd2019–2021
44th2021–present

Election results

2021

2021 federal election redistributed results[4]
PartyVote%
 20,087 42.24
 19,160 40.29
 6,062 12.75
 1,052 2.21
 1,003 2.11
 Others 192 0.40

2015

2011 federal election redistributed results[5]
PartyVote%
 23,761 51.62
 11,805 25.64
 8,292 18.01
 2,023 4.39
 152 0.33

2004

2000 federal election redistributed results
PartyVote%
 17,548 41.56
 13,453 31.86
 7,487 17.73
 2,570 6.09
 Others 1,169 2.77

1867–1968: two members

See also

References

Notes

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Data table . Statistics Canada . 21 February 2022.
  2. Web site: Census Profile, 2021 Census of Population Data table . Statistics Canada . 21 February 2022.
  3. News: Halifax MP Alexa McDonough announces retirement. CBC News. 2008-06-02. 2 June 2008.
  4. Web site: Transposition of Votes from the 44th General Election to the 2023 Representation Orders. 9 April 2024. Elections Canada.
  5. http://www.punditsguide.ca/riding.php?riding=1852 Pundits' Guide to Canadian Elections