Results, Ridings and Candidates

Winnipeg Centre

2008 Results

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This riding is in downtown Winnipeg. It runs from the Assiniboine River in the south to the CP Rail line in the northeast and between the Red River in the east and Ferry Road, Sherwin and Airport Road and Brookside Boulevard in the west.

The riding is home to the University of Winnipeg.

The manufacturing sector is the major employer, followed by health care and social services, and then retail trade.

According to the 2006 census, 27 per cent of residents are immigrants and 18 per cent are aboriginal. Almost 15 per cent listed Filipino as their ethnic origin, followed by German at 12 per cent. The average family income is $52,933 and unemployment is eight per cent.

This riding was established in the 1996 redistribution as Winnipeg North, gaining 63 per cent of Winnipeg North Centre, 30 per cent of Winnipeg-St. James, six per cent of Winnipeg North and two per cent of Winnipeg South Centre. The name changed to Winnipeg Centre after the passage of a private member's bill in 1996. In 2004, redistribution left 92 per cent of the old riding and added 12 per cent of Winnipeg South Centre and three per cent from Winnipeg North Centre.

Population: 81,017 (2006 census; an increase of 0.1% since 2001)

Political History

In 2006, New Democrat Pat Martin earned a fourth term after he won over Liberal candidate Ray St. Germain by 6,865 votes. Martin defeated Liberal David Northcott by 2,864 votes in 2004 and Liberal Kevin Lamoureux in 2000. His first federal election was against another Liberal candidate, David Walker. Martin won that 1997 contest by 1,084 votes.

Winnipeg North Centre was home to J.S. Woodsworth, founder of the Co-operative Commonwealth Federation. He was elected in 1925 as the Labour candidate, following the 1919 Winnipeg General Strike.

He held the seat for Labour and later the CCF until his death in 1942. In a byelection in 1942, Stanley Knowles of the CCF was elected. He won all elections up to and including 1980, except for one loss to PC John MacLean in the 1958 Tory sweep. Knowles suffered a stroke in 1981. In 1984, New Democrat Cyril Keeper, incumbent from Winnipeg-St. James in 1980, ran and won in Winnipeg North Centre.

He was defeated in 1988 by Liberal David Walker, who also won in 1993.