Victoria (electoral district)


Victoria is a federal electoral district in British Columbia, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1872 to 1904 and since 1925.
The riding was originally chartered as Victoria District for the special byelections held in 1871 upon the province's entry into Confederation. But, like the other B.C. ridings with that appellation, the "District" was dropped once the temporary ridings were ratified and made "permanent" for the general election of 1872; this was the first in which the Victoria riding appeared. From 1905 up until the 1925 election, Victoria was represented by the riding of Victoria City.

Demographics

Ethnic groups : 85.54% White, 4.05% Chinese, 3.07% Aboriginal, 1.26% South Asian, 1.22% Japanese, 1.15% Filipino, 1.09% Black

Languages : 83.93% English, 2.92% Chinese, 1.79% French, 1.40% German

Religions : 35.36% Protestant, 15.05% Catholic, 3.94% Other Christian, 1.62% Buddhist, 40.52% No religion

Median income : $24,022

Geography

It covers the entire city of Victoria, the municipality of Oak Bay and the southeastern portion of the municipality of Saanich. It also includes the University of Victoria.

Riding associations

s are the local branches of the national political parties:

History

This electoral district was created in 1872 when Victoria District riding was abolished. It elected two members to the House of Commons of Canada.
In 1878, Sir John A. Macdonald was parachuted into the riding, as he was unelectable in eastern Canada, in the wake of the Pacific Scandal. Victorians voted for him enthusiastically, as he promised to finally bring about the construction of what became the Canadian Pacific Railway. In the fall, he was also acclaimed as member for the Marquette riding in Manitoba.
It was abolished in 1903, and split into Victoria City and Nanaimo ridings.
It was re-created in 1924 from the Victoria City riding, electing one member to the House of Commons.
A redistribution in 1966 trimmed the size of the riding slightly, removing parts of Saanich west of Cedar Hill Road and north of Cedar Hill Cross Road.
Victoria was one of two electoral districts in British Columbia that saw no changes to its boundaries proposed following the 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution.

Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:

Current Member of Parliament

The current Member of Parliament for Victoria is Laurel Collins of the New Democratic Party, a former sociology instructor at the University of Victoria, and Victoria City Councillor.

Election results

1925–present

The Victoria riding name was re-established as a one-member seat in 1924.

1925-1984

1872–1902

The Victoria riding was abolished in 1903. Successor ridings were Victoria City and, for western parts of the riding, Nanaimo. This riding elected two members to parliament.