Cumberland North

Candidates

Current MLA: Ernie Fage (IND)

District profile: Cumberland North borders the Northumberland Strait. Its main population and service centre is the town of Amherst, across the border from New Brunswick.

The riding stretches east to Malagash and includes Pugwash. Outside the towns, agriculture, maple syrup production and tourism are important secondary industries.

District map: Cumberland North (PDF)

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2006 results

Voter turnout: 54.9 per cent in 2006

Political history

In 1993, the district's name was changed from Cumberland East to Cumberland North and one poll was added from Cumberland West. The area, though, has largely stayed true to its Tory roots.

Roger Bacon, the former premier, held this riding for the Progressive Conservatives from 1970 until 1993.

That year, Liberal Ross Bragg handed the Tories their first defeat in four decades, coming to power in the red sweep of 1993. But Ernie Fage reclaimed the district for the PCs in 1997 and has held it ever since.

However, Fage was suspended from the Tory caucus in 2007 after being charged with leaving the scene of a minor car accident. He continued sitting as an independent. The suspension became permanent after he was convicted of the charge in December of that year.