Peterborough

Peterborough is centred on the City of Peterborough in east-central Ontario, situated on the Otonabee River at the southern edge of the Kawartha Lakes region, approximately 125 kilometres northeast of Toronto. In 2011, the riding encompassed the city itself along with the surrounding townships of Cavan-Monaghan, Douro-Dummer, Otonabee-South Monaghan, Asphodel-Norwood, and parts of Smith-Ennismore-Lakefield. Peterborough is one of Canada's most noted bellwether ridings, having elected a member of the governing party in nearly every general election since its creation.

Candidates

Dean Del Mastro (Conservative) — Del Mastro was the incumbent, first elected in 2006 and re-elected in 2008. Born into an Italian-Canadian family in Peterborough, he attended Adam Scott Collegiate and Vocational Institute. Before entering politics, he and his brothers operated a family automobile dealership in Peterborough for 13 years. In Parliament, he served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage.

Dave Nickle (NDP) — Nickle was an NDP candidate with roots in Peterborough's working-class community. His family had ties to the city's industrial history, including the General Electric plant that once employed thousands of workers in the region.

Betsy McGregor (Liberal) — Dr. McGregor was a veterinarian who also ran as the Liberal candidate in the 2008 election. A graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College at the University of Guelph, she was a resident of Douro-Dummer who had spent 16 years working in public policy on science, ethics, and gender, including fellowships at Harvard Medical School and Harvard Kennedy School. She was an advocate for women in science and politics.

Michael Bell (Green Party) — Bell was the Green Party candidate for Peterborough and was involved in the riding's Green Party electoral district association.

Gordon Scott ran with no party affiliation and Michael Bates stood for the Canadian Action Party.

About the Riding

The City of Peterborough had a population of approximately 78,700 at the time of the 2011 census. The city is home to Trent University, founded in 1963 on land donated by Canadian General Electric along the Otonabee River, and Fleming College, both of which are significant employers and drivers of the local economy. Peterborough's demographic profile — average by religion, occupation, and ethnicity — has made it a favourite site for consumer market testing and a reliable political bellwether.

Historically, Peterborough's economy was built on manufacturing, anchored by Canadian General Electric, which arrived in 1892 and employed thousands at its peak. By 2011, the manufacturing base was contracting, and the economy was shifting toward service industries, health care, education, and tourism. The Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Trent University, and Fleming College ranked among the largest employers. The Trent-Severn Waterway and the Peterborough Lift Lock, a National Historic Site, draw visitors and support a seasonal tourism sector tied to the Kawartha Lakes cottage country.

Key federal issues heading into 2011 included the decline of manufacturing jobs, health care funding, post-secondary education affordability, and infrastructure investment in the Trent-Severn Waterway system.