Calgary Centre (Alberta) 44/338

 Calgary Centre (Alberta)

Today we're in our first of 10 Calgary ridings, the aptly named Calgary Centre!

Calgary Centre has existed as a riding since 1968. It contains the downtown core of Calgary and has a population of 119,176 as of the 2016 census. Elbow River runs through the riding and empties into the Glenmore Reservoir. The riding, like quite a few urban ridings, has a higher per capita post secondary education rate, with 49.5% of the riding having a Bachelor's degree vs. the Alberta average of 23.4%.

Politically, Calgary Centre is one of the most Liberal ridings in the city, which is to say, not very much. Until 2015, the riding had only been represented by some flavour of Conservative Party. However, in 2015 the Liberals broke through in Calgary when they won Calgary Centre and Calgary Skyview. The riding is currently represented by Conservative MP Greg McLean.

This seat was held by former Prime Minister Joe Clark in 2000, after his mandate. He was the sole Progressive Conservative elected in Alberta in that election, most of the rest of the province was swept by the Canadian Alliance. Joe Clark sat as an independent after refusing to join in the Conservative merger of 2003. In 2019, the riding was 10/34 in Alberta and 294/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.6/10 - It is pretty darn central so I can appreciate that. I'd like Calgary-Elbow (like they have provincially)

Shape: 8.2/10 - It makes sense and I like it. Weird squiggles, but it follows streets and rivers, so I can't complain that much.

Individuality: 8.4/10 - This seat has had pretty weird swings (Greens in 2012 by-election, Liberals in 2015 election) and I like that.

Total: 25.2/30 (84%)

See you tomorrow in our next day of C A L G A R Y  W E E K in Calgary Confederation!