# Central Nova

Central Nova (French: Nova-Centre) is a federal electoral district in Nova Scotia, Canada that was represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1968 until 1996. In 1996, Antigonish County and part of Guysborough County were placed with Pictou County in a new electoral boundaries configuration to form the electoral district of Pictou-Antigonish-Guysborough. A new version of Central Nova was established in 2003 and — in conjunction with the Pictou-Antigonish-Guysborough iteration — represented a significant electoral boundaries change with specific reference to Antigonish County. Between 1867 and 1997, Antigonish County was not in a riding that included Pictou County; rather, it comprised either its own electoral district (Antigonish), or part of other districts shared with Eastern Nova Scotia (Antigonish-Guysborough) and Cape Breton Island communities (Cape Breton Highlands Canso, 1968–1997). In 2013, part of Antigonish County was "placed back" with communities in the electoral district of Cape Breton Canso, a riding which had emerged in part from the former Cape Breton Highlands Canso riding in 1996. The current version of Central Nova includes Pictou County, parts of Antigonish and Guysborough Counties (including the Town of Antigonish and the Municipality of the District of St. Mary's) and extends into Halifax Regional Municipality.

## Demographics

From the 2021 census
Ethnic groups:
* White: 91.4%
* First Nations: 1.1%
* Black: 1.8%
Languages:
* English: 95.4%
* French: 1.1%
* Dutch: 0.2%
* Other: 3.3%
Religions:
* Protestant: 36.5%
* Catholic: 27.6%
* No religious affiliation: 34.0%
Age:
* 0 to 14 years: 13.8%
* 15 to 64 years: 60.1%
* 65 years and over: 26.1%
* 85 years and over: 2.8%
Median Age:
* 50.0
Median total income:
* $32,000
Average total income:
* $40,520
Median household income:
* $66,500
Average household income:
* $81,600

## Geography

The district covers all or part of the following counties:
* Pictou County (all)
* Antigonish County (part)
* Guysborough County (part)
* Halifax County (part)
Specifically, it includes the following municipal corporations:
* Municipality of the County of Pictou
* The towns of New Glasgow, Stellarton, Pictou, Westville, Trenton, and Antigonish
* Municipality of the County of Antigonish
* Municipality of the District of St. Mary's
* Halifax Regional Municipality (east of Jeddore Oyster Pond and Marinette).
Communities include:

### Pictou County

* New Glasgow
* Stellarton
* Westville
* Trenton
* Pictou
* River John

### Antigonish County (as part of the county portion placed in Central Nova)

* Antigonish

### Guysborough County (as part of the county portion placed in Central Nova)

* Goshen
* Sherbrooke
* Trafalgar
* Marie Joseph

### Halifax County (as part of the county portion placed in Central Nova)

* Sheet Harbour
* Port Dufferin
* Lake Charlotte
* Jeddore Oyster Pond
The electoral district has an area of 8,439 km$^2$.

## Political geography

In 2008, the riding had the unusual scenario of having Green Party leader Elizabeth May run without any Liberal opposition. Thus, the race was mostly between Conservative candidate Peter MacKay and May. May's support was concentrated in the community of Antigonish. Outside this area, she won just a few pockets of support. She was nearly shut out in the New Glasgow metropolitan area, where she won just one poll. MacKay won most of the rest of the riding, and the NDP picked up three polls.

## History

The district was created in 1966 from Antigonish—Guysborough (with part of Guysborough added to Central Nova, while Antigonish County and a portion of Guysborough were placed with the Cape Breton Highlands Canso riding), Colchester—Hants, and Pictou. In sum, in 1966, Central Nova consisted of Pictou County, southern Colchester County, eastern Halifax County, and western Guysborough County. In 1976, it gained some territory in Halifax County (eastern central portion), and it lost its territory in Colchester County. In 1987, it lost most of Guysborough County except for the most extreme western point, and gained all of central and central western Halifax County. In 1996, it was merged into Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, and Sackville—Eastern Shore.
The electoral district was re-created in 2003: 93.3% of the riding came from Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough riding, and 6.7% came from Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore. In the 2004 election, Conservative Party candidate Peter MacKay, who had represented Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough, was returned to the House of Commons from Central Nova. He was re-elected in the 2006 election.
Green Party leader Elizabeth May contested the seat in the 2008 federal election. In a move that startled political observers, Liberal leader Stéphane Dion announced on April 13, 2007, that his party would not contest the seat in order to give May a better chance of winning, a move that marked the first time in decades that the Liberals did not field a full slate of candidates in a general election. In return, the Greens (who also fielded a full slate in the last election) did not contest Dion's Montreal riding. After coming in second to Peter MacKay, May announced she would not run in Central Nova in the next federal election.
Its new boundaries, determined during 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution, have been legally defined in the 2013 representation order. The new boundaries encompass most of the pre-2012 riding as well as a portion of Nova Scotia represented in the current electoral districts of Cumberland—Colchester—Musquodoboit Valley and Sackville—Eastern Shore. It lost 9% of its previous territory to Cape Breton—Canso, territory that, for decades prior to this, had already been part of Cape Breton Highlands Canso. It came into effect upon the call of the 42nd Canadian federal election, which took place on 19 October 2015.

## Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following members of Parliament:
| Parliament | Years | Member | Party |
| Central Nova Riding created from Antigonish—Guysborough, Colchester—Hants and Pictou |||||
| 28th | 1968–1971 | Russell MacEwan | Progressive Conservative |
| 28th | 1971–1972 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 29th | 1972–1974 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 30th | 1974–1979 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 31st | 1979–1980 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 32nd | 1980–1983 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 32nd | 1983–1984 | Brian Mulroney | Progressive Conservative |
| 33rd | 1984–1988 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 34th | 1988–1993 | Elmer MacKay | Progressive Conservative |
| 35th | 1993–1997 | Roseanne Skoke | Liberal |
| Riding dissolved into Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough and Sackville—Eastern Shore |||||
| Riding re-created from Pictou—Antigonish—Guysborough and Sackville—Musquodoboit Valley—Eastern Shore |||||
| 38th | 2004–2006 | Peter MacKay | Conservative |
| 39th | 2006–2008 | Peter MacKay | Conservative |
| 40th | 2008–2011 | Peter MacKay | Conservative |
| 41st | 2011–2015 | Peter MacKay | Conservative |
| 42nd | 2015–2019 | Sean Fraser | Liberal |
| 43rd | 2019–2021 | Sean Fraser | Liberal |
| 44th | 2021–present | Sean Fraser | Liberal |

## Election results
### 2021

vte2021 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Sean Fraser | 18,682 | 45.89 | -0.4 | $88,208.43 |
| | Conservative | Steven Cotter | 13,060 | 32.08 | +2.6 | $38,393.01 |
| | New Democratic | Betsy MacDonald | 6,225 | 15.29 | +2.3 | $11,093.54 |
| | People's | Al Muir | 1,445 | 3.55 | +1.5 | $0.00 |
| | Green | Katerina Nikas | 494 | 1.21 | -6.6 | $0.00 |
| | Independent | Harvey Henderson | 365 | 0.90 | N/A | $0.00 |
| | Communist | Chris Frazer | 138 | 0.34 | -0.1 | $0.00 |
| | Rhinoceros | Ryan Smyth | 65 | 0.16 | N/A | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 40,474 | 99.4 | +0.3 | $107,714.33 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 236 | 0.58 | -0.3 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 40,710 | 66.7 | -7.8 |
| Registered voters | Registered voters | Registered voters | 61,073 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | -1.5 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2021 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Liberal | 18,031 | 44.30 |
| Conservative | 13,370 | 32.85 |
| New Democratic | 6,572 | 16.15 |
| People's | 1,624 | 3.99 |
| Green | 620 | 1.52 |
| Others | 484 | 1.19 |

### 2019

vte2019 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Sean Fraser | 20,718 | 46.59 | −11.94 | $99,263.87 |
| | Conservative | George Canyon | 13,201 | 29.69 | +3.89 | $89,511.25 |
| | New Democratic | Betsy MacDonald | 5,806 | 13.06 | +2.82 | none listed |
| | Green | Barry Randle | 3,478 | 7.82 | +3.68 | $6,467.76 |
| | People's | Al Muir | 938 | 2.11 | New | $2,862.69 |
| | Communist | Chris Frazer | 180 | 0.40 | New | $749.95 |
| | Independent | Michael Slowik | 149 | 0.33 | New | $0.00 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 44,470 | 100.0 | | $102,724.82 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 412 | 0.92 | +0.40 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,882 | 74.49 | −0.19 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 60,251 |
| | Liberal hold | Liberal hold | Swing | Swing | −7.92 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||

### 2015

vte2015 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Liberal | Sean Fraser | 25,909 | 58.53 | +44.58 | $113,362.49 |
| | Conservative | Fred DeLorey | 11,418 | 25.80 | –29.49 | $109,137.26 |
| | New Democratic | Ross Landry | 4,532 | 10.24 | –16.57 | $63,038.54 |
| | Green | David Hachey | 1,834 | 4.14 | +0.34 | $11,206.15 |
| | Independent | Alexander J. MacKenzie | 570 | 1.29 | – | – |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 44,263 | 100.00 | | $204,540.28 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 233 | 0.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 44,496 | 74.68 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 59,585 |
| | Liberal gain from Conservative | Liberal gain from Conservative | Swing | Swing | +37.04 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2011 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Conservative | 21,494 | 55.29 |
| New Democratic | 10,422 | 26.81 |
| Liberal | 5,424 | 13.95 |
| Green | 1,479 | 3.80 |
| Others | 57 | 0.15 |

### 2011

vte2011 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Peter MacKay | 21,593 | 56.79 | +10.19 | $66,993.75 |
| | New Democratic | David Parker | 9,412 | 24.75 | +5.19 | $22,391.41 |
| | Liberal | John Hamilton | 5,614 | 14.76 | – | $38,162.02 |
| | Green | Matthew Chisholm | 1,406 | 3.70 | -28.54 | $3,941.29 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 38,025 | 100.0 | | $83,138.94 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 226 | 0.59 | -0.18 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,251 | 65.00 | -2.01 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 57,963 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +2.50 |
| Sources: |||||||

### 2008

vte2008 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Peter MacKay | 18,240 | 46.60 | +5.94 | $61,468.89 |
| | Green | Elizabeth May | 12,620 | 32.24 | +30.65 | $57,490.60 |
| | New Democratic | Louise Lorifice | 7,659 | 19.56 | -13.33 | $39,917.36 |
| | Christian Heritage | Michael Harris MacKay | 427 | 1.09 | – | none listed |
| | Canadian Action | Paul Kemp | 196 | 0.50 | – | $87.79 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 39,142 | 100.0 | | $80,462 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 304 | 0.77 | +0.42 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 39,446 | 67.01 | -2.16 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 58,863 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -24.71 |

### 2006

vte2006 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Peter MacKay | 17,134 | 40.66 | -2.61 | $55,938.56 |
| | New Democratic | Alexis MacDonald | 13,861 | 32.89 | +5.23 | $28,582.28 |
| | Liberal | Dan Walsh | 10,349 | 24.56 | -1.83 | $43,064.69 |
| | Green | David Orton | 671 | 1.59 | -1.09 | $901.04 |
| | Marxist–Leninist | Allan H. Bezanson | 124 | 0.29 | – | none listed |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 42,139 | 100.0 | | $75,651 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 147 | 0.35 | -0.17 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 42,286 | 69.17 | +3.85 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 61,137 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -3.92 |

### 2004

vte2004 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Peter MacKay | 16,376 | 43.27 | -8.13 | $53,745.97 |
| | New Democratic | Alexis MacDonald | 10,470 | 27.66 | +14.84 | $25,231.91 |
| | Liberal | Susan Green | 9,986 | 26.39 | -3.95 | $44,229.04 |
| | Green | Rebecca Mosher | 1,015 | 2.68 | – | $222.50 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 37,847 | 100.0 | | $73,053 |
| Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots | 198 | 0.52 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 38,045 | 65.32 | -0.92 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 58,240 |
| | Conservative notional gain from Progressive Conservative | Conservative notional gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | Swing | -11.48 |
| Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Conservative Party change is based on the combination of Canadian Alliance and Progressive Conservative Party totals. |||||||
2000 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Progressive Conservative | 17,969 | 47.53 |
| Liberal | 11,471 | 30.34 |
| New Democratic | 4,845 | 12.82 |
| Alliance | 2,976 | 7.87 |
| Others | 541 | 1.43 |

### 1993

vte1993 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Liberal | Roseanne Skoke | 16,399 | 43.61 | +5.22 |
| | Progressive Conservative | Ken Streatch | 11,916 | 31.69 | -16.89 |
| | Reform | Howard Mackinnon | 6,068 | 16.14 | |
| | New Democratic | Hugh Mackenzie | 2,446 | 6.50 | -6.52 |
| | National | Gerard W. Horgan | 511 | 1.36 | |
| | Natural Law | Pulkesh Lakhanpal | 266 | 0.71 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 37,606 | 100.00 |

### 1988

vte1988 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 19,065 | 48.58 | -12.42 |
| | Liberal | Marion Anderson | 15,066 | 38.39 | +12.39 |
| | New Democratic | Gloria Murphy | 5,110 | 13.02 | +0.02 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 39,241 | 100.00 |

### 1984

vte1984 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 21,462 | 61.00 | +0.81 |
| | Liberal | Al Lomas | 9,148 | 26.00 | +0.95 |
| | New Democratic | Gloria E. Murphy | 4,572 | 13.00 | -0.39 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 35,182 | 100.00 |

### 1983 by-election

Canadian federal by-election, 29 August 1983 On the resignation of Elmer MacKay, 15 June 1983 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Brian Mulroney | 18,882 | 60.19 | +12.16 |
| | Liberal | Alvin Sinclair | 7,858 | 25.05 | -9.21 |
| | New Democratic | Roy G. Demarsh | 4,202 | 13.39 | -4.32 |
| | Independent | Anne McBride | 287 | 0.91 | |
| | Independent | Bob Robert Kirk | 97 | 0.31 | |
| | Independent | John Turmel | 46 | 0.15 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 31,372 | 100.00 |

### 1980

vte1980 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 15,576 | 48.03 | -8.55 |
| | Liberal | Alvin Sinclair | 11,111 | 34.26 | +4.37 |
| | New Democratic | Gary A. Chambers | 5,743 | 17.71 | +4.18 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 32,430 | 100.00 |
| lop.parl.ca |||||||

### 1979

vte1979 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 18,907 | 56.58 | +2.65 |
| | Liberal | Lloyd P. Mackay | 9,988 | 29.89 | -6.41 |
| | New Democratic | Gary A. Chambers | 4,521 | 13.53 | +4.67 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 33,416 | 100.00 |

### 1974

vte1974 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 17,459 | 53.93 | -3.02 |
| | Liberal | Fern Dunn | 11,753 | 36.30 | +7.33 |
| | New Democratic | John Rod Brown | 2,869 | 8.86 | -3.98 |
| | Social Credit | John J. Henderson | 292 | 0.90 | -0.34 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 32,373 | 100.00 |

### 1972

vte1972 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 18,259 | 56.95 | +4.37 |
| | Liberal | D. Laurence Mawhinney | 9,288 | 28.97 | -9.37 |
| | New Democratic | John Rod Brown | 4,117 | 12.84 | +6.20 |
| | Social Credit | John J. Henderson | 397 | 1.24 | -1.20 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 32,061 | 100.00 |

### 1971 by-election

Canadian federal by-election, 31 May 1971 On the resignation of Russell MacEwan, 14 January 1971 :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Elmer MacKay | 15,359 | 52.58 | -5.99 |
| | Liberal | Clarrie Mackinnon | 11,200 | 38.34 | +5.07 |
| | New Democratic | Allan M. Marchbank | 1,940 | 6.64 | -1.52 |
| | Social Credit | John J. Henderson | 714 | 2.44 | |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 29,213 | 100.00 |

### 1968

vte1968 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % |
| | Progressive Conservative | Russell MacEwan | 16,720 | 58.57 |
| | Liberal | Donald F. Stewart | 9,499 | 33.27 |
| | New Democratic | Leo F. McKay | 2,330 | 8.16 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 28,549 | 100.00 |