Riel (electoral district)

Riel is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was created by redistribution in 1968, and has formally existed since the provincial election of 1969. The riding is located in the south-central region of the City of Winnipeg, and is named after Louis Riel, the leader of the 1870 Red River Rebellion.

Riel is bordered to the east by Southdale, to the south by Seine River and St. Norbert, to the north by St. Vital, and to the west by Fort Garry.

The riding's population in 1996 was 20,228. The riding's character is mostly middle-class and upper middle-class. As of 1999, the average family income was $63,126, and the unemployment rate was 5.50%. Nine percent of the riding's residents are francophone.

The service industry accounts for 15% of Riel's economy, followed by health and social services at 12.5%.

Riel has usually been represented by candidates of the Progressive Conservative Party, although the NDP have won the seat on three occasions. The current MLA is New Democrat Christine Melnick, who defeated her Progressive Conservative opponent by a margin of about 53% to 38% in 2003. Melnick won again in the 2007 Manitoba election winning with 60% of the vote.

List of provincial representatives

Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office
Donald Craik	PC	1969	1981
Doreen Dodick	NDP	1981	1986
Gerry Ducharme	PC	1986	1995
David Newman	PC	1995	1999
Linda Asper	NDP	1999	2003
Christine Melnick	NDP	2003	"present"