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Ottawa Centre (provincial electoral district)
Encyclopedia
Ottawa Centre is an urban provincial electoral district
in Ontario
, Canada
that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
since 1968. While the riding's boundaries (mainly to the south and west as the north and east borders have remained the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal, respectively) have changed over the years to account for population changes, the riding has always comprised the central areas of Ottawa
, the nation's capital.
.
It is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
by Ontario Liberal
Yasir Naqvi
. The provincial riding has been won by the NDP seven times (1971, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1984 by-election, 1985 and 1990) and by the Liberals six times (1968, 1987, 1995, 1999, 2003) and 2007, and never by the Conservatives or another party.
, including the Parliament Buildings. From the historic Rideau Canal
, the riding stretches west encompassing the neighbourhoods of Downtown
, Centretown
(Centretown West
which includes Little Italy
is usually considered a distinct neighbourhorhood), Lebreton Flats
, Mechanicsville
, Hintonburg
and Westboro
. The riding encompasses additional neighbourhoods south of downtown, including The Glebe
, Old Ottawa South
, Lees Avenue
, Old Ottawa East
and others.
Party support varies between different parts of the riding. The consistently best areas for the Ontario New Democratic Party
(NDP) are Old Ottawa South, the Glebe, and Centretown. Old Ottawa South and the Glebe are also the main Green party areas. The suburban far south and west of the riding around Hog's Back
and Carlingwood Park, the large homes near the Civic Hospital
, the expensive homes and apartments by the Rideau Canal, and the more expensive downtown condos are the most strongly Liberal and Conservative areas. The major swing areas are the western portions of the riding such as Hintonburg
and Westboro
: while traditionally Liberal, these neighbourhoods have recently become stronger for the NDP.
Many public sector workers live in the riding. The northern part of the riding contains many government office buildings, including Parliament Hill
. The riding also includes Carleton University
and Saint Paul University
's campuses and residences.
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
that has been represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
since 1968. While the riding's boundaries (mainly to the south and west as the north and east borders have remained the Ottawa River and Rideau Canal, respectively) have changed over the years to account for population changes, the riding has always comprised the central areas of Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, the nation's capital.
History
The district was created before the 1967 election. Since the 1999 election, the provincial district has had the same borders as the federal riding of Ottawa CentreOttawa Centre
Ottawa Centre is an urban federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1968...
.
It is represented in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario
Legislative Assembly of Ontario
The Legislative Assembly of Ontario , is the legislature of the Canadian province of Ontario, and is the second largest provincial legislature of Canada...
by Ontario Liberal
Ontario Liberal Party
The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and...
Yasir Naqvi
Yasir Naqvi
Yasir Naqvi MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election, representing the riding of Ottawa Centre. He is also the President of the Ontario Liberal Party....
. The provincial riding has been won by the NDP seven times (1971, 1975, 1977, 1981, 1984 by-election, 1985 and 1990) and by the Liberals six times (1968, 1987, 1995, 1999, 2003) and 2007, and never by the Conservatives or another party.
Geography
The riding covers most of downtown OttawaOttawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
, including the Parliament Buildings. From the historic Rideau Canal
Rideau Canal
The Rideau Canal , also known as the Rideau Waterway, connects the city of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada on the Ottawa River to the city of Kingston, Ontario on Lake Ontario. The canal was opened in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States and is still in use today, with most of its...
, the riding stretches west encompassing the neighbourhoods of Downtown
Downtown Ottawa
Downtown Ottawa is the central area of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. Like other downtowns it is the commercial and economic centre of the city. It is sometimes referred to as the Central Business District and contains Ottawa's financial district. It is bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the...
, Centretown
Centretown
Centretown is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada defined by the city as "the area bounded on the north by Gloucester Street and Lisgar Street, on the east by the Rideau Canal, on the south by the Queensway Freeway and on the west by Bronson Avenue." Traditionally it was all of Ottawa west of the...
(Centretown West
Centretown West
Centretown West is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It lies to the west of Bronson Avenue, east of the O-Train tracks, north of Carling Avenue, and south of "Nanny Goat Hill", which is an escarpment to the north of Somerset Street West. To the east lies Centretown, to the north lies Lebreton...
which includes Little Italy
Little Italy, Ottawa
Little Italy is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, situated in Centretown West and the cultural centre of Ottawa's Italian community. Bounded by Albert Street to the north, Carling Avenue to the south, the O-Train tracks to the west, and approximately Bronson Avenue to the east, Little...
is usually considered a distinct neighbourhorhood), Lebreton Flats
Lebreton Flats
LeBreton Flats is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It lies to the west of Centretown neighbourhood, and to the north of Centretown West with "Nanny Goat Hill" as the dividing line...
, Mechanicsville
Mechanicsville (Ottawa)
Mechanicsville is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located to the west of downtown and bordered by the Ottawa River to the north, the transitway railway to the east, Scott Street to the south, and Parkdale Avenue to the west...
, Hintonburg
Hintonburg
Hintonburg is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is a historically working-class, predominately residential neighbourhood, with a commercial strip located along Wellington Street West, located to the west of downtown...
and Westboro
Westboro
Westboro is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada, often referred to as Westboro Village. Located along the Ottawa River, the neighbourhood is bordered on the east by Island Park Drive, and on the west by Woodroffe Avenue. The Southern border can be stretched up to Carling Avenue...
. The riding encompasses additional neighbourhoods south of downtown, including The Glebe
The Glebe
The Glebe is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is located just south of Ottawa's downtown area, with its northern border being demarcated by the Queensway highway. It is bounded by the Rideau Canal to the south and east. Many maps show the western edge as Bronson Avenue, but some also...
, Old Ottawa South
Old Ottawa South
Old Ottawa South is an older urban neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. As of the Canada 2006 Census, 8,168 people lived in Old Ottawa South, a relatively small and compact neighbourhood, located between the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River . The eastern boundary is defined by Riverdale Avenue and...
, Lees Avenue
Lees Avenue
Lees Avenue is both a road and a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. The area lies in the narrow stretch between the Rideau Canal and Rideau River south of Sandy Hill and the Queensway and is part of Old Ottawa East. The neighbourhood is dominated by five large apartment buildings, some of the...
, Old Ottawa East
Old Ottawa East
Old Ottawa East or just Ottawa East is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada. It is located south of Nicholas Street and between the Rideau Canal and the Rideau River. The southern border is generally defined by Main Street and Riverdale Avenue. To the south is the neighbourhood of Old Ottawa South...
and others.
Party support varies between different parts of the riding. The consistently best areas for the Ontario New Democratic Party
Ontario New Democratic Party
The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its...
(NDP) are Old Ottawa South, the Glebe, and Centretown. Old Ottawa South and the Glebe are also the main Green party areas. The suburban far south and west of the riding around Hog's Back
Hog's Back
The Hog's Back is a part of the North Downs in Surrey, England, that lies between Farnham, Surrey in the west and Guildford in the east.-Name:Compared with the main part of the Downs to the east of it, it is a narrow elongated ridge, hence its name....
and Carlingwood Park, the large homes near the Civic Hospital
Civic Hospital
Civic Hospital is a neighbourhood in Ottawa, Canada. It is named after the Ottawa Civic Hospital, which is located in the neighbourhood.Civic Hospital is bounded on the west by Island Park Drive, on the north by Queensway, on the east by the O-Train and on the south by Carling Avenue.The...
, the expensive homes and apartments by the Rideau Canal, and the more expensive downtown condos are the most strongly Liberal and Conservative areas. The major swing areas are the western portions of the riding such as Hintonburg
Hintonburg
Hintonburg is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. It is a historically working-class, predominately residential neighbourhood, with a commercial strip located along Wellington Street West, located to the west of downtown...
and Westboro
Westboro
Westboro is a neighbourhood of Ottawa, Canada, often referred to as Westboro Village. Located along the Ottawa River, the neighbourhood is bordered on the east by Island Park Drive, and on the west by Woodroffe Avenue. The Southern border can be stretched up to Carling Avenue...
: while traditionally Liberal, these neighbourhoods have recently become stronger for the NDP.
Many public sector workers live in the riding. The northern part of the riding contains many government office buildings, including Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill
Parliament Hill , colloquially known as The Hill, is an area of Crown land on the southern banks of the Ottawa River in downtown Ottawa, Ontario. Its Gothic revival suite of buildingsthe parliament buildings serves as the home of the Parliament of Canada and contains a number of architectural...
. The riding also includes Carleton University
Carleton University
Carleton University is a comprehensive university located in the capital of Canada, Ottawa, Ontario. The enabling legislation is The Carleton University Act, 1952, S.O. 1952. Founded as a small college in 1942, Carleton now offers over 65 programs in a diverse range of disciplines. Carleton has...
and Saint Paul University
Saint Paul University
Saint Paul University is a Catholic Pontifical university federated with the University of Ottawa. It is located on Main Street in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and has been entrusted for more than a century to the Congregation of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate...
's campuses and residences.
Members of Provincial Parliament
| Parliament | Years | Member | Party | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 28th Ontario general election, 1967 The Ontario general election of 1967 was held on October 17, 1967, to elect the 117 members of the 28th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1967–1971 | Harold MacKenzie | Liberal Ontario Liberal Party The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and... |
|
| 29th Ontario general election, 1971 The Ontario general election of 1971 was held on October 21, 1971, to elect the 117 members of the 29th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1971–1975 | Michael Cassidy Michael Cassidy Michael Morris Cassidy is a Canadian politician. He served in the Legislative Assembly of Ontario from 1971 to 1984, and in the Canadian House of Commons from 1984 to 1988... |
New Democratic Party Ontario New Democratic Party The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its... |
|
| 30th Ontario general election, 1975 The Ontario general election of 1975 was held on September 18, 1975, to elect the 125 members of the 30th Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1975–1977 | |||
| 31st Ontario general election, 1977 The Ontario general election of 1977 was held on June 9, 1977, to elect the 125 members of the 31st Legislative Assembly of Ontario of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1977–1981 | |||
| 32nd Ontario general election, 1981 The Ontario general election of 1981 was held on March 19, 1981, to elect members of the 32nd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1981–1985 | |||
| 33rd Ontario general election, 1985 The Ontario general election of 1985 was held on May 2, 1985, to elect members of the 33rd Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada... |
1985–1987 | Evelyn Gigantes Evelyn Gigantes Evelyn Adelaide Gigantes is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on three occasions between 1975 and 1995, and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae.The daughter of Earle Sanford Peach... 1st term |
New Democratic Party Ontario New Democratic Party The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its... |
|
| 34th Ontario general election, 1987 The Ontario general election of 1987 was held on September 10, 1987, to elect members of the 34th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.The governing Ontario Liberal Party, led by David Peterson, was returned to power with a large majority... |
1987–1990 | Richard Patten Richard Patten Richard Andrew Patten is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Patten was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Ottawa Centre.-Biography:... 1st term |
Liberal Ontario Liberal Party The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and... |
|
| 35th Ontario general election, 1990 The Ontario general election of 1990 was held on September 6, 1990, to elect members of the 35th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1990–1995 | Evelyn Gigantes Evelyn Gigantes Evelyn Adelaide Gigantes is a former politician in Ontario, Canada. She served as a New Democratic Party member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario on three occasions between 1975 and 1995, and was a prominent cabinet minister in the government of Bob Rae.The daughter of Earle Sanford Peach... 2nd term |
New Democratic Party Ontario New Democratic Party The Ontario New Democratic Party or , formally known as New Democratic Party of Ontario, is a social democratic political party in Ontario, Canada. It is a provincial section of the federal New Democratic Party. It was formed in October 1961, a few months after the federal party. The ONDP had its... |
|
| 36th Ontario general election, 1995 The Ontario general election of 1995 was held on June 8, 1995, to elect members of the 36th Legislative Assembly of the province of Ontario, Canada... |
1995–1999 | Richard Patten Richard Patten Richard Andrew Patten is a politician in Ontario, Canada. Patten was a member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, representing the riding of Ottawa Centre.-Biography:... 2nd term |
Liberal Ontario Liberal Party The Ontario Liberal Party is a provincial political party in the province of Ontario, Canada. It has formed the Government of Ontario since the provincial election of 2003. The party is ideologically aligned with the Liberal Party of Canada but the two parties are organizationally independent and... |
|
| 37th Ontario general election, 1999 An Ontario general election was held on June 3, 1999, to elect members of the 37th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
1999–2003 | |||
| 38th Ontario general election, 2003 The Ontario general election of 2003 was held on October 2, 2003, to elect the 103 members of the 38th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada.... |
2003–2007 | |||
| 39th Ontario general election, 2007 The Ontario general election of 2007 was held on October 10, 2007 to elect members of the 39th Legislative Assembly of the Province of Ontario, Canada. The Liberals under Dalton McGuinty won the election with a majority government, winning 71 out of a possible 107 seats with 42.2% of the popular... |
2007- | Yasir Naqvi Yasir Naqvi Yasir Naqvi MPP is a politician in Ontario, Canada. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario in the 2007 provincial election, representing the riding of Ottawa Centre. He is also the President of the Ontario Liberal Party.... |
||
Election results
2007 electoral reform referendum
| Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007 Ontario electoral reform referendum, 2007 An Ontario electoral reform referendum was held on October 10, 2007, in an attempt to establish a mixed member proportional representation system for elections to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario... |
|||
|---|---|---|---|
| Side | Votes | % | |
| First Past the Post | 26,586 | 52.1 | |
| Mixed Member Proportional | 24,443 | 47.9 | |
| Total | 51,029 | 100.0 | |