Minnedosa was a provincial electoral district of Manitoba, Canada, from 1881 to 2011. It was created in 1881 with the expansion of the province's western boundary. From 1886 to 1888, it was divided into two ridings, Minnedosa East and Minnedosa West.
Minnedosa was located in the southwestern region of Manitoba. It was bordered by Russell to the north, Ste. Rose to the east, Turtle Mountain to the east and south, and Arthur-Virden to the south and west. The constituency also surrounded the city of Brandon, which is divided into the ridings of Brandon East and Brandon West.
Minnedosa itself was the largest community in the constituency. Other communities in riding the included Souris, Rivers, Rapid City, Shilo, Basswood, Wawanesa, and Erickson.
Minnedosa's population in 1996 was 18,694. In 1999, the average family income was $46,627, and the unemployment rate was 3.50%. Agriculture accounted for 22% of the riding's industry, followed by government services at 12% and health and social services at 12%. Six per cent of the population was of German background, and 15% were over 65 years of age.
Minnedosa was held by the Progressive Conservative Party for several decades, but the New Democratic Party made efforts to win the seat in the riding's last years. In the provincial election of 2003, the Conservative Party retained the seat by only 12 votes, but in the 2007 Election the Progressive Conservative incumbent Leanne Rowat won with 52.83% and the NDP candidate won 38.53% of the vote.
As a result of the 2008 Electoral Redistibution, for the 2011 Election, the constituency was dissolved. Most of the riding, including the city of Minnedosa, became part of the new riding of Riding Mountain. Smaller portions were transferred to the new ridings of Spruce Woods, Arthur-Virden, Brandon East, and Brandon West.
Members of the Legislative Assembly
Minnedosa (original constituency) Name Party Took office Left office John Crerar Lib 1881 1883 David H. Harrison Lib-Cons 1883 1886
Minnedosa East Name Party Took office Left office James Gillies Cons 1886 1888
Minnedosa West Name Party Took office Left office David H. Harrison Lib-Cons 1886 1888
Minnedosa (re-established) Name Party Took office Left office James Gillies Lib-Cons 1888 1892 Robert Myers Lib 1892 1903 William B. Waddell Cons 1903 1910 John Thompson Lib 1910 1914 George Grierson Lib 1914 1922 Neil Cameron Prog 1922 1927 Earl Rutledge Cons 1927 1948 Henry Rungay Lib-Prog 1948 1953 Gilbert Hutton Social Credit 1953 1958 Charles Shuttleworth Lib-Prog 1958 1959 Walter Weir PC 1959 1971 Dave Blake PC 1971 1988 Harold Gilleshammer PC 1988 2003 Leanne Rowat PC 2003 2011
Election results
1881 by-election
1883
1888
1892
1896
1899
1903
1907
1910
1914
1915
1917 by-election
1920
1922
1927
1932
1936
1941
1945
1948 by-election
1949
1953
1958
1959
1962
1966
1969
1971 by-election
1973
1977
1981
1986
1988
1990
1995
1999
2003
2007
See also List of Manitoba provincial electoral districts Canadian provincial electoral districts
References