Glengarry—Prescott—Russell (Ontario) 115/338

 Glengarry—Prescott—Russell (Ontario)

Today we're in eastern Ontario with Glengarry—Prescott—Russell!

Glengarry—Prescott—Russell has existed as a riding since 1953. The population of the riding was 109,975 in 2016. The population centers are Clarence-Rockland (24,512 in 2016), Russell (16,520 in 2016), and Hawkesbury (10,263 in 2016). 59% of the riding lists French as their mother tongue, which can be attributed to the nearness to Ottawa and Quebec.

Politically, this riding has been Liberal for all but five elections since 1953. In 1957, the seat was won by Progressive Conservative Osie Villeneuve and was won with a narrower margin in the 1958 PC landslide election. In 2006, the seat was won by just 203 votes by Pierre Lemieux, who held the seat until 2015. This seat is currently held by Liberal MP Francis Drouin.

Pierre Lemieux was a candidate in the 2017 Conservative Leadership election. His platform included opposition to abortion and same-sex marriage. During the campaign he received no endorsements, but did receive endorsements from Campaign Life Coalition and Right Now. Lemieux ultimately placed 7th, his best provincial result was third in Manitoba. In 2019, this seat was 41/121 in Ontario and 111/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.2/10 - I don't know how to fix it, but it's pretty good, just a tad long.

Shape: 6.8/10 - Interesting choice to have Ottawa in the riding, I would've shaved off a part of Ottawa and given it to Carleton.

Individuality: 7.8/10 - Interesting how a riding so rural is so Liberal. Also the francophone factor helps too.

Total: 22.8/30 (76%)

Tomorrow we're back in Alberta with Grand Prairie—Mackenzie!

Gatineau (Quebec) 114/338

 Gatineau (Quebec)

Today we're in the National Capital Region with Gatineau!

Gatineau has existed as a riding since 1945, created from Hull and Wright. The population of the riding was 107,464 in 2016. The riding contains the city of Gatineau (276,245 in 2016, shared with three other ridings). While the riding is on the Quebec/Ontario border, there is no land connection, the riding is on the shore of the Ottawa River.

Politically, this seat was solidly Liberal since the beginning, only going Progressive Conservative in 1984. However, in 2006, the Bloc were able to sneak ahead and win the seat due to the Liberals slipping. It went NDP in 2011 after being close in 2008. The seat has been reliably Liberal since 2015. The seat is currently represented by Liberal MP Steve MacKinnon.

While most of Ottawa-Gatineau is solid Liberal nowadays, in the 2006 and 2008, you could drive from Ottawa West—Nepean to Gatineau and go through a Conservative riding, NDP riding, Liberal riding, and end in a Bloc seat. If you make that same drive today, you won't leave a Liberal riding. In 2019, this seat was 60/78 in Quebec and 259/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 9.0/10 - Very good name, concise and to the point. Gatineau is in three other ridings, so it isn't higher up.

Shape: 6.7/10 - I don't mind the shape, just not a huge fan of the municipal boundaries.

Individuality: 5.7/10 - For an Ottawa-Gatineau seat, it's pretty individual, surprising Bloc win in 2006.

Total:  21.4/30 (71.3%)

Tomorrow we're not too far with Glengarry—Prescott—Russell!

Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec) 113/338

 Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine (Quebec)

Today we're in Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine!

Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine has existed as a riding since 2004. The population of the riding was 75,850 in 2016. The population centers are Gaspé (14,568 in 2016), Chandler (7,546 in 2016), and Sainte-Anne-des-Monts (6,437 in 2016). This is one of the oldest ridings in the country, with 52.5 being the median age, ten years above the Quebec median age.

Politically, this seat has been a Quebec bellwether since 1980. With the seat reporting a few polls ahead of the rest of Quebec (the Magdalen Islands are in the Atlantic time zone), it is an early indicator of how the rest of the province will vote (NDP wave in 2011, Liberal surge in 2015, Bloc strength in 2019). This seat is currently held by Minister of National Revenue and Liberal MP Diane Lebouthillier.

The Gaspé Peninsula is one of the more over-represented regions outside of specific rules (Atlantic, Territories, Northern Ontario). In the 2012 redistribution, it was decided that the eastern Gaspé Peninsula would keep its three ridings, with the region being identified as a region worthy of extra representation. We'll see how the ridings fare in redistribution next year. In 2019, the seat was 7/78 in Quebec and 16/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.8/10 - Generally good, it is a bit long, but the name is in French, so I won't dock too many marks.

Shape: 8.1/10 - Not a huge fan of the western border, but other than that we're fine.

Individuality: 7.8/10 - Pretty individual, I really like finding out what makes ridings "protected".

Total: 24.7/30 (82.3%)

Tomorrow we're in the National Capital Region with Gatineau!

Fundy Royal (New Brunswick) 112/338

 Fundy Royal (New Brunswick)

Today we're in Fundy Royal!

Fundy Royal has existed as a riding since 1917. The population of the riding was 79,943 in 2016. The population centers are Quispamsis (18,245 in 2016), Hampton (4,289 in 2016), and Sussex (4,282 in 2016). The name comes from King and Queen counties, as well as the Bay of Fundy.

Politically, this riding has one of the most solid Conservative voting records in the Atlantic. The riding has only voted Liberal twice since 1917: in 1993 when Paul Zed won the seat and 2015 when Alaina Lockhart won the seat. The Liberal victory in 2015 was one of the narrowest in the Atlantic, just 1,775 votes separated the Liberals and the Conservatives. The seat is currently held by Conservative MP Rob Moore.

Provincially, Quispamsis is represented by Premier Blaine Higgs. In 2010, he was first elected to the New Brunswick legislature, serving as minister of finance under Premier David Alward. After four years in opposition, Blaine Higgs' PC's defeated the Liberals to a minority government in 2018 and in 2020 formed a majority government. In 2019, this seat was 6/10 in New Brunswick and 196/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.5/10 - Very creative name, I like the connection to the Bay of Fundy.

Shape: 3.2/10 - I seriously can't stand this shape for some reason, I really wish that Riverview wasn't split, and the curve is gross.

Individuality: 7.5/10 - For a generally non-conservative region of the country, its cool that this riding has such a long history.

Total: 19.2/30 (64%)

See you soon with Gaspésie—Les Îles-de-la-Madeleine!

Fredericton (New Brunswick) 111/338

 Fredericton (New Brunswick)

Today we're in central New Brunswick with Fredericton!

Fredericton has existed as a riding since 1917, not being named Fredericton until 1988. The population of the riding was 83,303 in 2016. The population centers are Fredericton (58,220 in 2016), Oromocto (9,223 in 2016), and New Maryland (4,174 in 2016). The city of Fredericton is partially in Tobique—Mactaquac.

Politically, hoo boy we've got a swing seat! From 2011 until now, the seat has been held by a Conservative, Liberal, and a Green. Provincially, this seat is represented by the PC's, Greens, and the People's Alliance. The region has been Green since 2014, when New Brunswick Green leader David Coon won his seat here. This seat is currently represented by Liberal MP Jenica Atwin.

Jenica Atwin was elected in 2019 as a Green, the party's first elected seat outside of British Columbia. In May 2021, she was vocal in her position on the Israel/Palestine crisis. Because of her comments, one of the senior members of the party, Noah Zatzman voiced his opposition to her comments. Because of these comments and the way the party dealt with them, Jenica Atwin crossed the floor to the Liberals on June 10th, 2021. She was re-elected on September 20th, 2021 as a Liberal. In 2019, this seat was 2/10 in New Brunswick and 31/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.4/10 - I'm mostly happy with the name, I'm just annoyed that they don't have the entire city in the riding.

Shape: 3.8/10 - Listen, I understand municipal boundaries are municipal boundaries, but can you seriously look at this and think it's okay? They didn't even fit the entire city in the riding!

Individuality: 10/10 - I mean, what other riding can say they had the same trajectory as this riding?

Total: 22.2/30 (74%)

Tomorrow we're one riding east in Fundy Royal!

Fort McMurray—Cold Lake (Alberta) 110/338

 Fort McMurray—Cold Lake (Alberta)

Today we're in northern Alberta with Fort McMurray—Cold Lake!

Fort McMurray—Cold Lake has existed as a riding since the 2012 redistribution, created from Fort McMurray—Athabasca and Westlock—St. Paul. The population of the riding was 110,230 in 2016. The population centers are Wood Buffalo (71,859 in 2016), Cold Lake (14,961 in 2016), and Lac La Biche (8,330 in 2016). Fort McMurray is within the specialized municipality of Wood Buffalo.

Politically, this seat has been solidly Conservative since 1958, before that being a Liberal seat. That isn't to say opposition parties haven't had success here. During the Pierre Trudeau days, the Liberals were consistently above 20% and were within 1300 votes of taking the riding in 1968 and hovered around 20-30% during the Chretien years. The seat is currently held by Conservative MP Laila Goodridge.

One of the former MP's for the riding is Brian Jean. Brian Jean served in the House of Commons for 10 years, resigning and later becoming the leader of the Wildrose Party of Alberta. The party formed the opposition in the 2015 Alberta election, and after merging with the Progressive Conservatives, Brian Jean lost the leadership race of the United Conservative Party to now premier Jason Kenney. Brian Jean is currently seeking the UCP nomination for the seat vacated by Laila Goodridge. In 2019, this seat was 24/34 in Alberta and 326/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 7.4/10 - I like the name, but I think Wood Buffalo should be incorporated somewhere, and maybe Lac La Biche.

Shape: 4.2/10 - I just can't forgive the south end, even if does follow rivers and roads.

Individuality: 6.7/10 - Cool MP's and occasional closeness, but still very Alberta.

Total: 18.3/30 (61%)

Tomorrow we're in Fredericton, I wonder what we'll talk about...

Foothills (Alberta) 109/338

 Foothills (Alberta)

Today we're in southwest Alberta with Foothills!

Foothills has existed as a riding since 2012, created from Calgary Southwest, Macleod, and Lethbridge. The population of the riding was 113,227 in 2016. The population centers are Okotoks (28,881 in 2016), High River (13,584 in 2016), and Claresholm (3,780 in 2016). The riding is named for Foothills County, immediately south of Calgary.

Politically, I'm sure you can guess. This seat has been solidly Conservative since 1972. The seat was most recently won by a non-Conservative party in 1968 when Allen B. Sulatycky won the Rocky Mountain seat with 37% support. He lost to future prime minister Joe Clark in 1972 but he gained votes in between elections. This seat is currently represented by Conservative MP John Barlow.

From 2008 until the 2014 by-election when John Barlow was first elected, there were three different parties in second place: the Greens in 2008 with 9%, the NDP in 2011 with 10%, and the Liberals in 2014 with 17%, which is the most support a second place party has received since 1993 when the PC's placed second to the Reform Party. In 2019, this seat was 30/34 in Alberta and 333/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 7.8/10 - I don't mind the name, Alberta has every right to name the ridings after the counties, I honestly would be happy with keeping a Rocky Mountain riding.

Shape: 5.7/10 - West side is fine, it's on a border, but the east is gross, even with the idea of county lines.

Individuality: 3.7/10 - Not very individual, I guess a Liberal winning here in 1968 is pretty cool.

Total: 18.2/30 (57.3%)

Tomorrow we're on the opposite side of the province in Fort McMurray—Cold Lake!

Fleetwood—Port Kells (British Columbia) 108/338

 Fleetwood—Port Kells (British Columbia) 

Today we're in Surrey with Fleetwood—Port Kells!

Fleetwood—Port Kells has existed as a riding since 2004, created from Surrey Central and Surrey North. The population was 116,958 in 2016. The riding contains the neighbourhoods of Fleetwood, Fraser Heights, and Port Kells. The riding is 30% South Asian, just 265 people short of being the largest ethnic group in the riding.

Politically, this seat was Conservative territory from 1993-2015, when the Liberals surged in the Lower Mainland and won the riding in 2015. This seat had one of the bigger swings in 2015, tied with Delta for second place at a 31% swing, only behind Cloverdale—Langley City at a 34% swing towards the Liberals. The seat is currently held by Liberal MP Ken Hardie.

With Surrey being home to a large South Asian population, it is worth noting the success the Liberal Party has had in South Asian ridings the past three elections. The three largest South Asian communities in the country are Brampton (44.3%), Surrey (32.8%), and Abbotsford (25.5%). In the past three elections, the Liberals have held all but two seats in these communities, and the seats that they do hold are with pretty big margins, winning all but one Brampton seat with over 50% support. In 2019, this seat was 7/42 in BC and 38/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 7.9/10 - Generally a good name, but Port Kells is such a small part of the riding, I'd rather involve Guildford somehow.

Shape: 8.6/10 - It's important to keep Fleetwood together, idk how to make it better, but it still is a little gross to me.

Individuality: 6.7/10 - Interesting how big of a shift there was, but it is pretty par for the course as far as Surrey goes.

Total: 23.2/30 (77.3%)

See you soon with Foothills!

Flamborough—Glanbrook (Ontario) 107/338

 Flamborough—Glanbrook (Ontario)

Today we're in Flamborough—Glanbrook!

Flamborough—Glanbrook has existed as a riding since 2012. The population of the riding was 111,065 in 2016. The riding is in the city of Hamilton and contains the communities of Waterdown, Binbrook, and Carlisle. The riding was drawn in 2012 initially underpopulated at 97,081, but due to its suburban nature and expansion of Hamilton, it grew by 14.4% in 5 years.

Politically, this seat has historically been a Liberal/Conservative swing seat. From 1972-1993, it was a PC seat, with the Liberals not too far behind, which made it easy for the Liberals to hold it from 1993-2006, but thanks to the rise of Stephen Harper's Conservatives, it has been held by the Conservatives since 2006. The seat is currently held by Conservative MP Dan Muys.

Interesting thing about this riding: while the city of Hamilton has grown by 3.3% (16,968 people), most of the growth has been in this riding, with the more urban ridings not growing that much, even Hamilton Centre losing more than 1,800 people and Hamilton East—Stoney Creek only getting about 60 new people. In 2019, this seat was 7/121 in Ontario and 24/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 6.7/10 - I appreciate the geographic names, but it would be nice to have it named after Hamilton.

Shape: 6.1/10 - Pretty okay, just not a fan of the municipal lines.

Individuality: 5.4/10 - Growth is cool, pretty static politically, which I guess is interesting in itself.

Total: 18.2/30 (60.7%)

Tomorrow we're back in my neck of the woods with Fleetwood—Port Kells!

Etobicoke North (Ontario) 106/338

 Etobicoke North (Ontario) 

Today we're finishing off our Etobicoke adventure with Etobicoke North!

Etobicoke North has existed as a riding since 1979, created from Etobicoke and York West. The population was 118,040 in 2016. The riding contains the neighbourhoods of Rexdale, Kingsview Village, and Willowridge. This riding is far more diverse than the other Etobicoke ridings, which each are around 27% visible minority. Etobicoke North at last census was 76% visible minority, with South Asians and Black Canadians each taking up around a quarter each.

Politically, this seat is one of the safest Liberal seats in the province. Held by the Liberals since 1988, they've only fallen below the 50% mark three times: 1988, 2008, and 2011. The last time the seat was remotely competitive was in 2011 when the Conservatives were just over 10 points behind, a good majority of their support was in the southern half of the riding, but it was still a far reach for them. This seat is currently represented by Liberal MP Kirsty Duncan.

This seat is home to Progressive Conservative leader and Premier Doug Ford. Doug Ford isn't the first politician in his family, his father was member of Provincial Parliament from 1995 to 1999, and his brother Rob Ford was the mayor of Toronto from 2010 to 2014. Doug Ford led the Ontario Progressive Conservatives to a majority government in 2018 after not being in government for 15 years. In 2019, this seat was 118/121 in Ontario and 291/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 9.7/10 - I mean, yeah. Maybe incorporating Rexdale would be cool, but the riding name is fine as is.

Shape: 8.2/10 - I really like the shape actually, minor nitpicks: please follow the roads, don't just go with whatever straight lines are present.

Individuality: 7.7/10 - Props to Doug Ford and Kirsty Duncan for proving that ridings can be interesting.

Total: 25.6/30 (85.3%)

Tomorrow we're in Greater Hamilton with Flamborough—Glanbrook!

Etobicoke Lakeshore (Ontario) 105/338

Etobicoke—Lakeshore (Ontario) 

Today we're in Toronto with Etobicoke—Lakeshore!

Etobicoke—Lakeshore has existed since 1968, initially named Lakeshore, then Toronto—Lakeshore. The population of the riding was 129,081 in 2016. The riding includes the neighbourhoods and former municipalities of Mimico, Long Branch, and New Toronto. The riding is 21% Eastern European, which is double the provincial proportion of 10%.

Politically, fairly solid Liberal riding, however, the most a candidate has received here in the past 50 years is the 2015 election when James Maloney won with 53.7%. The riding was won by the Conservatives in 2011, the Progressive Conservatives in 1984 and 1988, and the NDP in 1972, but it really has been Liberal territory for the better part of 50 years. The seat is represented by Liberal MP James Maloney.

As you may know, Michael Ignatieff represented this riding from 2006-2011, winning the Liberal leadership on May 2nd, 2009, exactly two years before the next federal election. That federal election did not go well for the Liberals, with over half their caucus defeated and Ignatieff himself losing his seat. After politics, Ignatieff worked at University of Toronto and later Harvard University. In 2019, this seat was 90/121 in Ontario and 218/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.6/10 - I really like the name! I'd prefer neighbourhood names, but it's not awful.

Shape: 6.1/10 - I understand that it follows rivers and the lake, but the north is just gross to me.

Individuality: 4.1/10 - Despite the surprise wins elsewhere, this seat is really just another Toronto seat.

Total: 18.8/30 (62.7%)

See you soon in Etobicoke North!

Etobicoke Centre (Ontario) 104/338

 Etobicoke Centre (Ontario)

Today we're in Toronto with Etobicoke Centre!

Etobicoke Centre has existed as a riding since 1979. The population of the riding was 118,022 in 2016. The riding contains the neighbourhoods of Richview, Princess Gardens, and Humber Valley Village. The riding is in the former city of Etobicoke, which was amalgamated into the city of Toronto in 1998.

Politically, the riding is as "suburban GTA" as it gets. Solidly Liberal since 1993, getting closer in 2008 and narrowly flipping in 2011, and swinging back in 2015 by a huge margin. In 2011, this seat was decided by only 26 votes, with the Ontario Superior Court throwing out the results, declaring that it was too close. However, it was certified after the Supreme Court of Canada got involved and declared the Conservative the winner. This seat is currently held by Liberal MP Yvan Baker.

Continuing with the trend of former cabinet ministers, this seat had a cabinet minister from 1984-2002. First, Michael Wilson was finance minister from 1984-1991 and was instrumental in the introduction of GST and NAFTA negotiations. Allan Rock was the MP after Michael Wilson, serving as justice minister, introducing legislation to amend the Criminal Code and the Canadian Human Rights Act. In 2019, this seat was 67/121 in Ontario and 163/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.2/10 - Pretty good, I'd prefer Etobicoke-Neighbourhood name, but it's fine.

Shape: 6.5/10 - I guess it's fine, it just is messy and I understand that those are the municipal boundaries, but that doesn't mean I like them.

Individuality: 7.1/10 - Politically, not that interesting, but we do love notable cabinet ministers.

Total: 21.8/30 (72.7%)

Tomorrow we're one riding south in Etobicoke Lakeshore!

Essex (Ontario) 103/338

 Essex (Ontario) 

Today we're in Southwestern Ontario with Essex!

Essex has existed as a riding since 1867, getting redrawn multiple times with cardinal names (Essex North, Essex South, etc.), before returning to a single riding in 1968. The population of the riding was 125,442 in 2016. The population centers are Lakeshore (36,611 in 2016), LaSalle (30,180 in 2016), and Amherstburg (21,936 in 2016).

Politically, this seat has gone through some phases. From 1968-2004, it was represented by Liberals, save nine years when the NDP held it. In 2004, the Conservative reign began with Jeff Watson winning by just 829 votes. The NDP took the riding back in 2015 after sneaking into second place the previous election, but have lost it the past two elections to the Conservatives. The seat is currently represented by Conservative MP Chris Lewis.

The last Liberals to hold the riding were Eugene Whelan from 1968-1984 and Susan Whelan from 1993-2004, who became the first father-daughter pair to serve in cabinet. Eugene Whelan served as minister of agriculture under Pierre Trudeau, and his close relationship with Aleksandr Yakovlev was a catalyst for perestroika. Susan Whelan served as minister of international cooperation under Jean Chrétien. In 2019, this seat was 21/121 in Ontario and 66/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 9.8/10 - Literally perfect. Parts of Essex are in other ridings though... so, not quite perfect.

Shape: 8.9/10 - Again, almost perfect, but I'm not a huge fan on the ridge on the east.

Individuality: 9.7/10 - It's got everything: cabinet ministers, political realignment, still swinging, we love you Essex.

Total: 28.4/30 (94.7%)

Tomorrow we're in Toronto with Etobicoke Centre!

Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke (British Columbia) 102/338

 Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke (British Columbia)

Today we're on Vancouver Island with Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke!

Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke has existed as a riding since the 2012 redistribution. The population was 120,834 in 2016. The population centers are Saanich (114,148 in 2016, shared with Saanich—Gulf Islands), Esquimalt (17,655 in 2016), and Colwood (16,859 in 2016). The riding was intended to be named Saanich—Esquimalt—Juan de Fuca, but was amended in the final stages.

Politically, this seat has gone through some shifts. Held by former premier Dave Barrett until 1993, it was won by Reform MP Keith Martin, who held the seat and won it under Reform, Alliance, and Liberal banners until 2011 when he retired, at which point it was narrowly won by the NDP. This seat is currently held by NDP MP Randall Garrison.

Randall Garrison ran twice in this seat before winning, getting around 31% of the vote in 2006 and 2008, but ultimately losing to Keith Martin. His first three wins were tight, with 2015 and 2019 being just 8 points ahead of David Merner, fifth place finisher in the 2020 Green Party Leadership race and former president of the Liberal Party of Canada's BC wing. In 2019, this seat was 14/42 in BC and 73/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 5.7/10 - All accurate names, that's not the issue. The issue is the length, and I kind of wish they kept the Juan de Fuca part of it.

Shape: 4.8/10 - Controversial take: this shape is gross. It just swoops in the wrong direction and is a bit too long for my liking. Also why didn't they just make Langford part of it and avoid the length?

Individuality: 6.7/10 - Shoutout to the riding for electing different parties in the past twenty years and also being the last Liberal seat on Vancouver Island.

Total: 17.2/30 (57.3%)

Tomorrow we're in Southwestern Ontario with Essex!

Elmwood—Transcona (Manitoba) 101/338

 Elmwood—Transcona (Manitoba) 

Today we're in Winnipeg with Elmwood—Transcona!

Elmwood—Transcona has existed as a riding since 1988, created from Winnipeg North Centre and Winnipeg—Birds Hill. The population of the riding was 92,738 in 2016. The riding contains the neighbourhoods of Rossmere, Valley Gardens, and Transcona. The eastern part of the riding around Transcona used to be a separate municipality until it was amalgamated into the city of Winnipeg.

Politically, this riding is pretty consistently NDP. Since 1968, the seat has been represented by an NDP MP, with some exceptions. In 1974, it was won by Progressive Conservative Dean Whiteway. In 2011, the seat was won by Conservative MP Lawrence Toet by just 300 votes. He lost it in 2015 by just 61 votes, and was very out of reach in 2019 when he tried again. The seat is currently represented by NDP MP Daniel Blaikie.

Daniel Blaikie comes from somewhat of a political dynasty in Manitoba and within the NDP. His father Bill Blaikie served as an MP for almost 29 years, serving as NDP house leader from 1996-2003. He placed second in the 2003 NDP leadership election. His sister Rebecca Blaikie served as the president of the party from 2011-2016, before that serving as the executive director of the Quebec wing of the party, she was instrumental in Thomas Mulcair's 2007 by-election win. In 2019, this seat was 4/14 in Manitoba and 81/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 9.2/10 - I love neighbourhood names!

Shape: 6.7/10 - Okay shape, not a huge fan of the appendages.

Individuality: 7.6/10 - Dynasty seats are pretty cool, and consistency is pretty good.

Total: 23.5/30 (78.3%)

See you tomorrow in Esquimalt—Saanich—Sooke!

Elgin—Middlesex—London (Ontario) 100/338

 Elgin—Middlesex—London (Ontario)

Today we're in our 100th riding with Elgin—Middlesex—London!

Elgin—Middlesex—London has existed as a riding since 1997. The population of the riding was 115,052 in 2016. The population centers are St. Thomas (38,909 in 2016), Aylmer (7,492 in 2016), as well as a small portion of London (383,822 in 2016, shared with three other ridings). The riding is named for Elgin and Middlesex counties, as well as the city of London.

Politically, this is one of the most Conservative ridings in Ontario, being the most Conservative in Southwestern Ontario in 2019. This riding was where Chelsea Hillier, daughter of MPP Randy Hillier, ran a PPC candidate, netting almost 7500 votes. So, despite the Conservatives falling below 50% of the vote this election, there was still over 60% of the vote going to a right of center candidate. The riding is currently represented by Karen Vecchio. 

Karen Vecchio worked as an aide to former MP Joe Preston, who was elected mayor of St. Thomas in 2018. After elected, she was appointed official opposition critic for families, children, and social development. In the newly published shadow cabinet, she is in the women and gender equality and youth critic portfolio, her previous role is now covered by new MP Laila Goodridge. In 2019, this seat was 99/121 in Ontario and 240/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 6.5/10 - Generally a good name, I don't think London is necessary, I'd be okay with just Elgin—Middlesex.

Shape: 4.2/10 - I really don't like the shape, I understand that it has to do with municipal boundaries, but it still isn't that good.

Individuality: 4.8/10 - Karen Vecchio has an interesting story and Joe Preston is also pretty cool, but a pretty typical southwestern Ontario riding.

Total: 15.5/30 (51.7%)

Tomorrow we're in Winnipeg with Elmwood—Transcona!

Egmont (Prince Edward Island) 99/338

 Egmont (Prince Edward Island)

Today we're back on Prince Edward Island with Egmont!

Egmont has existed as a riding since 1968, created from the Prince riding. The population of the riding was 34,168 in 2016. The population centers are Summerside (14,829 in 2016), Alberton (1,145 in 2016), and Miscouche (873 in 2016). The riding has a pretty even rural-urban split, with the western peninsula being pretty sparse and most of the population living close to Summerside.

Politically, this is the most competitive seat on Prince Edward Island, which is to say, not very competitive. The riding has been Liberal since 1980, save 2008-2015 when it was held by cabinet minister Gail Shea, even then she only won by 55 votes in 2008. The other two major parties have had some success here too, the NDP got almost 20% in 2015, the best they've done outside of Charlottetown, and the Greens got almost 20% here in 2019, concentrated in Summerside where they hold the two provincial seats. This seat is currently held by Liberal MP Bobby Morrissey.

Gail Shea was not given an easy run as a minister. She was appointed as fisheries minister in 2008, receiving a pie in the face in 2010 when a PETA activist protested the seal hunt while Shea was speaking in Burlington. She was appointed as national revenue minister in 2011, and had to deal with the blowback from the changes made to Employment Insurance. She was given the fisheries portfolio back in 2013, dealing with the blowback of dismantling the Fishery Library. In 2019, this seat was 1/4 in Prince Edward Island and 52/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.4/10 - Pretty good name! Really enjoy names from bodies of water and the theming of the whole province is immaculate.

Shape: 8.6/10 - Again, good shape! Not a huge fan of the border between this and Malpeque, but it's fine.

Individuality: 3.9/10 - I guess it's interesting about Gail Shea, but a pretty typical rural Maritime riding.

Total: 20.9/30 (69.7%)

Tomorrow we're in our 100th riding with Elgin—Middlesex—London!

Eglinton—Lawrence (Ontario) 98/338

 Eglinton—Lawrence (Ontario)

Today we're back in Toronto with Eglinton—Lawrence!

Eglinton—Lawrence has existed as a riding since 1979. The population of the riding was 114,395 in 2016. The riding contains the neighbourhoods of Forest Hill, Lawrence Manor, and Lytton Park. This riding has the highest percentage of Polish Canadians in the country (12%), and has the second highest ethnic Jewish population (5.1%), as well as a sizable Filipino population (10.7%).

Politically, this seat is solidly Liberal until the last Conservative majority federally and provincially. In 2011, this seat was won by future minister of finance and natural resources Joe Oliver by over 4,000 votes, making it the second safest Conservative seat in Toronto proper. In 2018 provincially, PC Robin Martin defeated incumbent former minister Mike Colle. The seat is currently represented by Liberal MP and minister of public safety Marco Mendicino.

Marco Mendicino has served in Justin Trudeau's cabinet since the 2019 election, serving as minister of immigration, refugees, and citizenship until the most recent cabinet swearing in where he was given the public safety portfolio. In 2015, he was in a nomination battle with Mississauga floor-crossing MP Eve Adams for this seat, ultimately winning the nomination and the seat. In 2019, this seat was 80/121 in Ontario and 193/338 in Canada.

Rating:

Name: 7.8/10 - Good name, nice that it's named after streets and by extension neighbourhoods in the area. However, both Eglinton and Lawrence are long streets.

Shape: 9.6/10 - Very good shape! I like how easily it fits with the roads!

Individuality: 4.1/10 - Pretty typical modern Toronto riding, the constant cabinet representation is interesting.

Total: 21.5/30 (71.7%)

Tomorrow we're back in Prince Edward Island with Egmont!

Edmonton—Wetaskiwin (Alberta) 97/338

 Edmonton—Wetaskiwin (Alberta)

Today we're in southern Edmonton with Edmonton—Wetaskiwin!

Edmonton—Wetaskiwin has existed as a riding since the 2012 redistribution. The population of the riding was 158,749 in 2016. The riding contains a portion of Edmonton, as well as the city of Leduc (29,993 in 2016), and the town of Beaumont (17,396 in 2016). The riding is the most populous in the country, growing 43.5% between 2011 and 2016, especially with the smaller communities growing by more than 4,000 people each.

Politically, not super interesting. Typical Edmonton, Conservative but trending towards the NDP, but still ultimately out of reach for a while. The interesting part of this riding is that of the three Edmonton exurban ridings, it gave the left of center parties the most votes, and while that is only 35% at most, it is something to take note of in the future of the riding/city. This riding is currently represented by Conservative MP Mike Lake.

With Alberta gaining three new ridings in the next redistribution, the conventional wisdom is that the two main cities will get one more each, and the third is still up in the air. Feel free to disagree, but I believe the next seat will be in Edmonton. While in terms of city proper, Calgary has grown more, Edmonton has seen the suburbs and exurbs growing exponentially, also every riding is severely over populated in both cities, please give both cities more ridings, we don't need 130,000 people in one riding. In 2019, this seat was 18/34 in Alberta and 317/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 7.9/10 - Pretty good name, county names are always good, but maybe a little too general.

Shape: 5.8/10 - Listen, I get that it follows municipal boundaries, but I cannot stand the splits this riding is doing.

Individuality: 8.6/10 - Every Alberta riding is over populated, but shoutout to this riding for being THIS overpopulated.

Total: 22.3/30 (74.3%)

Tomorrow we're back in Toronto with Eglinton—Lawrence!

Edmonton West (Alberta) 96/338

 Edmonton West (Alberta)

Today we're in western Edmonton with Edmonton West!

Edmonton West has existed as a riding since 1917, however from 1988-1997 and 2004-2015, it was redistributed into other ridings. The population of the riding was 121,869 in 2016. The riding contains the neighbourhoods of Lymburn, Callingwood, and Granville. This riding grew by more than 17,000 people between the 2011 and 2016 census.

Politically, this seat has been pretty consistently Conservative, only being Liberal from 1997-2004 when Anne McLellan's riding was drawn here and was given the name. Historically, this seat was held by third premier of Alberta, Charles Stewart from 1925-1935, four years after his tenure as premier. Despite the Liberals winning a staggering majority in 1935, this was the only Liberal seat in Alberta. This seat is currently represented by Conservative MP Kelly McCauley.

Despite the trajectory of Edmonton provincially, the city is still a Conservative stronghold federally. They still hold 8/11 Greater Edmonton ridings and won the three exurban ones by over 55%. However, they have been knocked down a few pegs. 15 years ago, they held every seat in Edmonton, winning 8/10 seats by over 50%. This election, they were less than 1,900 votes away from holding a bare majority of Edmonton proper seats. In 2019, this seat was 11/34 in Alberta and 295/338 in Canada by margin.

Rating:

Name: 8.6/10 - Usually I'm not a huge fan of cardinal directions, but this is the only one so I will forgive it.

Shape: 5.1/10 - Really not a huge fan, okay shape, but I can't stand the appendage on the west and the south is disgusting to me.

Individuality: 4.1/10 - Historical election results aside, not the most interesting Edmonton riding.

Total: 17.8/30 (59.3%)

Tomorrow we're rounding out our Edmonton adventure with one heck of a large riding, Edmonton—Wetaskiwin!