- Rupertsland
Rupertsland is a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of
Manitoba . It was created in 1916 from territories that were added to the province four years earlier, and has existed continuously since that time.Rupertsland is currently the largest riding in the province, a sprawling northern constituency which occupies most of the eastern half of Manitoba. It was a smaller constituency until 1989, when it gained a significant amount of territory from the former riding of Churchill.
The current Rupertsland riding stretches from the
Ontario border in the southeast to theNunavut border in the north; it is also bordered by Lac Du Bonnet to the south and Flin Flon, The Pas and Thompson to the west.Churchill, Manitoba is the most significant community in this wide region.For logistical reasons, elections in Rupertsland before 1966 were usually deferred until a later date than the rest of the province.
Rupertsland's population in 1996 was 15,843. As of 1999, the average family income was $33,787 (the fourth-lowest in Manitoba), and the unemployment rate was 25%. Over 34% of the riding's population have less than a Grade 9 education, the highest such rate in the province. Government services account for 21% of the riding's industry, followed by education services at 17%.
Eighty-seven per cent of Rupertsland's residents are aboriginal, the highest percentage in the province. Over half the population list Cree as their mother tongue. As of 1999, there was only a 1% immigrant population.
The New Democratic Party has represented this riding since 1969, and it is considered extremely safe for the party. The current MLA is
Eric Robinson , who was re-elected in 2003 with over 86% of the vote -- the highest percentage in the province.List of provincial representatives
Name Party Took Office Left Office John Morrison Independent 1916 1920 Lib 1920 1922 Francis Black Prog 1922 1927 Herbert Beresford Independent Progressive 1927 1932 Ewan McPherson Lib-Prog 1932 1936 Michael Rojeski Lib/Non-Coalition 1936 1941 Daniel Hamilton Lib-Prog 1941 1953 Roy Brown Lib-Prog 1953 1958 Joseph Jeannotte PC 1958 1969 Jean Allard NDP 1969 1972 Independent 1972 1973 Harvey Bostrom NDP 1973 1981 Elijah Harper NDP 1981 1992 Eric Robinson NDP 1993 "present"
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