Ottawa—Vanier

Ottawa—Vanier (formerly known as Ottawa East) is a federal electoral district in Ontario, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1935. Previous to that date, it was part of the Ottawa electoral district that returned two members.

It is composed of the eastern part of downtown Ottawa and the wards of Beacon Hill-Cyrville, Rideau-Rockcliffe, Rideau-Vanier.

The riding is currently represented in the House of Commons by Liberal Mauril Belanger.

The riding, with a large Franco-Ontarian population in Vanier, is one of the most solidly Liberal in the country, having elected Liberals both federally and provincially in every election since its creation. In fact, the previous electoral district which comprises most of the constituency, Russell, had been solidly Liberal since 1887. The riding is home to a large number of civil servants.

Political geography

A sizable minority of the riding is in the former city of Vanier, which was merged with Ottawa in 2000. Vanier has long been home to much of Ottawa's francophone population a group that is solidly Liberal. The riding also contains the wealthiest part of Ottawa, Rockcliffe Park, which gives some support to the Conservatives, but also to the Liberals. The anglophone middle class neighbourhoods of Sandy Hill, containing the University of Ottawa, and New Edinburgh also tend to vote Liberal, but with significant support for the New Democratic Party.

In the last federal election, the Liberals had mostly wide-spread support in the riding, with its best areas in Castle Heights, Cyrville, Overbrook, Forbes and parts of Vanier. The Conservatives had their support concentrated in Viscount Alexander Park, Rothwell Heights, Beacon Hill North and Rockcliffe Park. The NDP had its support concentrated in Sandy Hill, and won some polls in Lindenlea and Lower Town.

Geography

In 2003, it was redefined as the part of the City of Ottawa east and north of a line running south along the Rideau Canal from the interprovincial boundary to Mann Avenue, northeast to Nicholas Street, southeast to Highway No. 417, and east to the abandoned Canadian Pacific Railway to the hydroelectric transmission line, north to Innes Road, northeast to Blair Road, northwest to Montreal Road, east and northeast to Regional Road No. 174, northeast to Green's Creek, north to the Ottawa River.

Demographics

Average family income: $92,457
Median household income: $45,506
Unemployment: 6.8%
Language, Mother Tongue: English 44%, French 32%, Other 24%
Religion: Catholic 54%, Protestant 19%, Muslim 6%, Orthodox Christian 1%, Other Christian 1%, Non Religious Affiliation 14%, Other 5%
Visible Minority: Black 7%, Arab 3%, Chinese 2%, South Asian 2%, Latin American 1%, Others 5%

History

The federal riding was created as "Ottawa East" in 1933 from parts of Ottawa and Russell ridings.

It initially consisted of, in the city of Ottawa, Rideau, Ottawa, By, St. Georges wards and the northeast part of Riverdale Ward, the town of Eastview, and the village of Rockcliffe Park.

In 1947, it was redefined to exclude the town of Eastview. In 1952, it was redefined to consist of the village of Rockcliffe Park, and the eastern parts of the city of Ottawa. In 1966, it was redefined to include the City of Eastview and exclude the village of Rockcliffe Park.

The name of the electoral district was changed in 1973 to "Ottawa—Vanier".

In 1976, it was redefined to consist of the City of Vanier, and the eastern parts of the city of Ottawa. In 1987, it was redefined to consist of the City of Vanier, the eastern part of the city of Ottawa, part of the city of Gloucester and the Village of Rockcliffe Park. In 1996, the Ottawa and Gloucester parts of the riding were redefined.

In 2003, it was given its current boundaries that are described above.

Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following Members of Parliament:

Parliament	Years		Party
Ottawa and Russell prior to 1933
Ottawa East
18th	1935-1936	Edgar-Rodolphe-Eugène Chevrier	Liberal
1936 By-election	1936-1940	Joseph-Albert Pinard	Liberal
19th	1940-1945	Joseph-Albert Pinard	Liberal
20th	1945-1949	Jean-Thomas Richard	Liberal
21st	1949-1953
22nd	1953-1957
23rd	1957-1958
24th	1958-1962
25th	1962-1963
26th	1963-1965
27th	1965-1968
28th	1968-1972
29th	1972-1974	Jean-Robert Gauthier	Liberal
Ottawa—Vanier
30th	1974-1979	Jean-Robert Gauthier	Liberal
31st	1979-1980
32nd	1980-1984
33rd	1984-1988
34th	1988-1993
35th	1993-1994
1995 By-election	1995-1997	Mauril Bélanger	Liberal
36th	1997-2000
37th	2000-2004
38th	2004-2006
39th	2006-