Bonavista--Burin--Trinity

Bonavista--Burin--Trinity is a sprawling federal electoral district covering the Bonavista Peninsula, Trinity Bay, and the Burin Peninsula in eastern Newfoundland. With a 2021 census population of approximately 76,120, the riding is predominantly rural, anchored by the service towns of Clarenville, Marystown, and the historic town of Bonavista. Created in the 2012 redistribution, the riding extends from the Come By Chance isthmus eastward to Cape Bonavista and southward to the tip of the Burin Peninsula.

Candidates

Churence Rogers (Liberal) was first elected in a December 2017 by-election and re-elected in 2019. Born in 1953 and raised in Centreville-Wareham-Trinity, Rogers graduated from Memorial University of Newfoundland with a Bachelor of Arts in Education and a Bachelor of Arts. He spent his teaching career in Harbour Breton before retiring in 2003. Rogers served as mayor of Harbour Breton from 1997 to 2003 and later as mayor of Centreville-Wareham-Trinity from 2009 to 2017. As president of Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador from 2011 to 2015, he negotiated a fiscal framework that directed millions of dollars annually to municipalities across the province.

Sharon Vokey (Conservative) lives in Trinity and has deep roots in the riding. She began her political career as a constituency assistant with the provincial Progressive Conservative party in 2000, advancing through roles including appeals officer, executive assistant, and executive director. After leaving partisan politics in 2015, Vokey continued helping constituents navigate Canada Pension Plan, Employment Insurance, and workers' compensation appeals. Her father-in-law, Henry Vokey, a master boat builder, received the Order of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2007.

Anne Marie Anonsen (NDP) ran as the NDP candidate in the riding, carrying the party's banner in a contest that was largely a two-way race between the Liberals and Conservatives.

Linda Hogan (PPC) is a recently retired supply chain specialist who spent over 30 years in the soft drink beverage industry. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in History and Women's Studies from York University in Toronto and ran as a first-time candidate.

About the Riding

Bonavista--Burin--Trinity is one of the most geographically expansive ridings in Newfoundland, covering thousands of square kilometres of rugged coastline, peninsulas, and outport communities. Clarenville (population approximately 6,300) serves as the economic hub, situated at the crossroads of the Trans-Canada Highway and Route 230 leading to the Bonavista Peninsula. Marystown (population approximately 5,000) on the Burin Peninsula is home to the Marystown Shipyard, which has historically serviced offshore oil and gas platforms and fishing vessels.

The Come By Chance oil refinery, built in the early 1970s at a cost of $120 million, has been a critical employer in the region, though it has experienced repeated ownership changes and operational difficulties. The fishery remains central to the riding's identity and economy, with crab, shrimp, and cod harvesting sustaining dozens of coastal communities. Bonavista, one of the oldest European settlements in the Americas, draws tourists to the Matthew Legacy site commemorating John Cabot's 1497 landfall, and the restored Ryan Premises National Historic Site.

The riding faces significant demographic challenges, with many communities experiencing sustained population loss since the 1992 cod moratorium. Youth out-migration, aging infrastructure, and limited broadband internet access in rural areas were prominent issues heading into the 2021 election. Federal investment in fisheries management, rural health care access, and infrastructure upgrades to the Trans-Canada Highway were recurring campaign themes. The riding was also one of the most Christian in Canada by census data, with over 97% of residents identifying with a Christian denomination.