# Bow River (electoral district)

Bow River is a federal electoral district in southern Alberta, Canada, that has been represented in the House of Commons of Canada from 1917 to 1968, from 1979 to 1988 and since 2015.
This riding was first created in 1914 from Macleod riding. It was abolished in 1966 when it was redistributed into Calgary North, Crowfoot, Palliser and Rocky Mountain ridings.
It was re-created in 1976 from parts of Crowfoot, Lethbridge, Palliser and Rocky Mountain ridings. It was abolished in 1987 when it was redistributed into Calgary North, Calgary Northeast, Calgary West, Crowfoot, Lethbridge, Macleod, Red Deer and Wild Rose ridings.
It was re-created by the 2012 federal electoral boundaries redistribution and was legally defined in the 2013 representation order. It came into effect upon the call of the 42nd Canadian federal election, scheduled for October 2015. This newest iteration of the riding was created out of parts of Crowfoot (53%), Medicine Hat (37%) and Macleod (10%) ridings.

## Demographics

Panethnic groups in Bow River (2011−2021) :
| Panethnic group | 2021 | 2021 | 2016 | 2016 | 2011 | 2011 |
| Panethnic group | Pop. | % | Pop. | % | Pop. | % |
| European | 83,840 | 73.99% | 85,535 | 78.35% | 82,105 | 83.14% |
| Indigenous | 7,545 | 6.66% | 7,310 | 6.7% | 5,935 | 6.01% |
| South Asian | 6,360 | 5.61% | 4,450 | 4.08% | 2,520 | 2.55% |
| Southeast Asian | 5,885 | 5.19% | 4,550 | 4.17% | 3,735 | 3.78% |
| African | 4,345 | 3.83% | 2,820 | 2.58% | 1,405 | 1.42% |
| East Asian | 1,685 | 1.49% | 1,805 | 1.65% | 1,450 | 1.47% |
| Latin American | 1,550 | 1.37% | 1,150 | 1.05% | 630 | 0.64% |
| Middle Eastern | 1,110 | 0.98% | 950 | 0.87% | 490 | 0.5% |
| Other/Multiracial | 1,005 | 0.89% | 605 | 0.55% | 495 | 0.5% |
| Total responses | 113,320 | 94.86% | 109,170 | 94.91% | 98,760 | 95.08% |
| Total population | 119,458 | 100% | 115,022 | 100% | 103,871 | 100% |
| Notes: Totals greater than 100% due to multiple origin responses. Demographics based on 2012 Canadian federal electoral redistribution riding boundaries. |||||||

## Members of Parliament

This riding has elected the following members of the House of Commons of Canada:
| Parliament | Years | Member | Party |
| Bow River Riding created from Macleod |||||
| 13th | 1917–1921 | Howard Hadden Halladay | Government (Unionist) |
| 14th | 1921–1925 | Edward Joseph Garland | Progressive |
| 15th | 1925–1926 | Edward Joseph Garland | Progressive |
| 16th | 1926–1930 | Edward Joseph Garland | United Farmers of Alberta |
| 17th | 1930–1932 | Edward Joseph Garland | United Farmers of Alberta |
| 17th | 1932–1935 | Edward Joseph Garland | Co-operative Commonwealth |
| 18th | 1935–1940 | Charles Edward Johnston | Social Credit |
| 19th | 1940–1945 | Charles Edward Johnston | Social Credit |
| 20th | 1945–1949 | Charles Edward Johnston | Social Credit |
| 21st | 1949–1953 | Charles Edward Johnston | Social Credit |
| 22nd | 1953–1957 | Charles Edward Johnston | Social Credit |
| 23rd | 1957–1958 | Charles Edward Johnston | Social Credit |
| 24th | 1958–1962 | Eldon Woolliams | Progressive Conservative |
| 25th | 1962–1963 | Eldon Woolliams | Progressive Conservative |
| 26th | 1963–1965 | Eldon Woolliams | Progressive Conservative |
| 27th | 1965–1968 | Eldon Woolliams | Progressive Conservative |
| Riding dissolved into Calgary North, Crowfoot, Palliser and Rocky Mountain |||||
| Riding re-created from Crowfoot, Lethbridge, Palliser and Rocky Mountain |||||
| 31st | 1979–1980 | Gordon Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 32nd | 1980–1984 | Gordon Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| 33rd | 1984–1988 | Gordon Taylor | Progressive Conservative |
| Riding dissolved into Calgary North, Calgary Northeast, Calgary West, Crowfoot, Lethbridge, Macleod, Red Deer and Wild Rose |||||
| Riding re-created from Crowfoot, Medicine Hat and Macleod |||||
| 42nd | 2015–2019 | Martin Shields | Conservative |
| 43rd | 2019–2021 | Martin Shields | Conservative |
| 44th | 2021–present | Martin Shields | Conservative |

## Election results
### 2015–present

2021 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Conservative | 33,292 | 69.57 |
| People's | 4,712 | 9.85 |
| New Democratic | 4,484 | 9.37 |
| Liberal | 3,763 | 7.86 |
| Green | 2 | 0.00 |
| Others | 1,604 | 3.35 |
vte2021 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Martin Shields | 35,676 | 69.8 | -14.1 | $58,577.57 |
| | People's | Jonathan Bridges | 5,108 | 10.0 | +7.6 | $1,097.41 |
| | New Democratic | Michael MacLean | 4,726 | 9.2 | +3.6 | $0.00 |
| | Liberal | Getu Shawile | 3,869 | 7.6 | +1.8 | $7,802.63 |
| | Maverick | Orrin Bliss | 1,368 | 2.7 | – | $8,111.55 |
| | Christian Heritage | Tom Lipp | 391 | 0.8 | -0.06 | $9,741.82 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 51,138 | 100.0 | – | $122,402.30 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 300 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 51,438 | 63.5 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 81,042 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | -10.85 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2019 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Martin Shields | 46,279 | 83.9 | +6.48 | $65,788.69 |
| | Liberal | Margaret Rhemtulla | 3,173 | 5.8 | -7.88 | none listed |
| | New Democratic | Lynn Macwilliam | 3,086 | 5.6 | +0.35 | none listed |
| | People's | Tom Ikert | 1,321 | 2.4 | - | none listed |
| | Green | Hendrika Maria Tuithof de Jonge | 826 | 1.5 | -0.34 | $0.00 |
| | Christian Heritage | Tom Lipp | 453 | 0.8 | +0.24 | $9,450.78 |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 55,138 | 100.0 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 234 |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 55,372 | 70.1 |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 78,944 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | +7.31 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
vte2015 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | Expenditures |
| | Conservative | Martin Shields | 38,701 | 77.42 | –5.97 | $79,588.40 |
| | Liberal | William MacDonald Alexander | 6,840 | 13.68 | +10.14 | $2,815.97 |
| | New Democratic | Lynn MacWilliam | 2,622 | 5.25 | –2.91 | $1,102.35 |
| | Green | Rita Ann Fromholt | 919 | 1.84 | –1.57 | – |
| | Independent | Andrew Kucy | 543 | 1.09 | – | $7,287.85 |
| | Christian Heritage | Frans VandeStroet | 280 | 0.56 | – | $883.46 |
| | Democratic Advancement | Fahed Khalid | 83 | 0.17 | – | – |
| Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | Total valid votes/expense limit | 49,988 | 100.00 | | $229,883.88 |
| Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | Total rejected ballots | 151 | 0.30 | – |
| Turnout | Turnout | Turnout | 50,139 | 66.72 | – |
| Eligible voters | Eligible voters | Eligible voters | 75,146 |
| | Conservative hold | Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | –8.06 |
| Source: Elections Canada |||||||
2011 federal election redistributed results :
| Party | Vote | % |
| Conservative | 30,412 | 83.39 |
| New Democratic | 2,976 | 8.16 |
| Liberal | 1,291 | 3.54 |
| Green | 1,244 | 3.41 |
| Others | 547 | 1.50 |

### 1976–1987

1984 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gordon Taylor | 43,033 | 76.20 | -0.40 |
| | New Democratic | William McCutcheon | 5,258 | 9.31 | +2.26 |
| | Liberal | B.C. Tanner | 4,066 | 7.20 | -7.51 |
| | Rhinoceros | Gordon D. Taylor | 2,349 | 4.16 | – |
| | Confederation of Regions | Dean Oseen | 1,443 | 2.56 | – |
| | Social Credit | Tom Erhart | 326 | 0.58 | -1.07 |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 56,475 | 100.0 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | |
1980 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | Progressive Conservative | Gordon Taylor | 30,463 | 76.60 | +13.53 |
| | Liberal | Neville Tilley | 5,850 | 14.71 | +3.46 |
| | New Democratic | David Radke | 2,802 | 7.05 | +1.70 |
| | Social Credit | Edward M. Kiddle | 656 | 1.65 | – |
| Total valid votes | Total valid votes | Total valid votes | 39,771 | 100.0 |
| | Progressive Conservative hold | Progressive Conservative hold | Swing | Swing | |
1979 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Progressive Conservative | Gordon Taylor | 25,973 | 63.07 |
| Independent | Stanley Schumacher | 8,378 | 20.34 |
| Liberal | Madeline J. Hombert | 4,633 | 11.25 |
| New Democratic | Gale Burke | 2,200 | 5.34 |

### 1917–1968

1965 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive Conservative | Eldon Woolliams | 12,611 | 53.14 | +7.28 |
| Social Credit | Ron Allen | 5,671 | 23.89 | -5.96 |
| Liberal | W. James Anderson | 3,615 | 15.23 | -3.13 |
| New Democratic | Doug Murdoch | 1,836 | 7.74 | +1.81 |
1963 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive Conservative | Eldon Woolliams | 11,461 | 45.86 | -0.50 |
| Social Credit | Francis J. Porter | 7,460 | 29.85 | +0.29 |
| Liberal | Earl Hastings | 4,589 | 18.36 | +1.33 |
| New Democratic | Walter W. Siewert | 1,481 | 5.93 | -1.11 |
1962 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive Conservative | Eldon Woolliams | 10,733 | 46.36 | -16.76 |
| Social Credit | Francis J. Porter | 6,844 | 29.56 | +1.49 |
| Liberal | Earl Hastings | 3,944 | 17.04 | +8.23 |
| New Democratic | Gordon Bowers | 1,629 | 7.04 | – |
1958 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive Conservative | Eldon Woolliams | 12,695 | 63.12 | +25.90 |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 5,646 | 28.07 | -10.96 |
| Liberal | Francis John Robert Olson | 1,772 | 8.81 | -14.94 |
1957 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 7,383 | 39.03 | -8.54 |
| Progressive Conservative | Eldon Woolliams | 7,039 | 37.21 | +19.68 |
| Liberal | Arthur Cecil Bates | 4,493 | 23.75 | -6.78 |
1953 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 7,320 | 47.57 | +0.26 |
| Liberal | William Duncan MacDonald | 4,698 | 30.53 | +5.87 |
| Progressive Conservative | Wilfred J. Wilde | 2,698 | 17.53 | +3.36 |
| Labor–Progressive | Arthur Llewelyn Roberts | 671 | 4.36 | -1.01 |
1949 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 8,537 | 47.31 | +8.93 |
| Liberal | William Duncan MacDonald | 4,449 | 24.66 | +12.44 |
| Progressive Conservative | Wilfred John Wilde | 2,558 | 14.18 | -8.71 |
| Co-operative Commonwealth | George Edwin Ellinson | 1,530 | 8.48 | -11.31 |
| Labor–Progressive | Arthur Llewelyn Roberts | 969 | 5.37 | -1.34 |
1945 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 6,569 | 38.39 | +4.04 |
| Progressive Conservative | John Angus MacKinnon | 3,917 | 22.89 | +2.27 |
| Co-operative Commonwealth | John Herbert Coldwell | 3,386 | 19.79 | +5.84 |
| Liberal | William George Southern | 2,091 | 12.22 | -13.49 |
| Labor–Progressive | John Blair Brown | 1,149 | 6.71 | +1.34 |
1940 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 5,410 | 34.34 | -18.76 |
| Liberal | Austin Claypool | 4,050 | 25.71 | +16.95 |
| National Government | M.E. Manning | 3,248 | 20.62 | -1.18 |
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Aylmer Liesemer | 2,197 | 13.95 | -2.38 |
| Communist | Lawrence Anderson | 847 | 5.38 | – |
1935 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Social Credit | Charles Edward Johnston | 7,529 | 53.11 | – |
| Conservative | Andrew Davison | 3,091 | 21.80 | -22.60 |
| Co-operative Commonwealth | Edward Joseph Garland | 2,315 | 16.33 | -39.26 |
| Liberal | Charles Ross Walrod | 1,242 | 8.76 | – |
1930 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers of Alberta | Edward Joseph Garland | 5,825 | 55.59 | -7.35 |
| | Conservative | Dawson Graham | 4,653 | 44.41 | +7.35 |
1926 Canadian federal election :
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| | United Farmers of Alberta | Edward Joseph Garland | 5,144 | 62.95 | +19.90 |
| | Conservative | Acle Carman Scratch | 3,028 | 37.05 | +13.38 |
1925 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive | Edward Joseph Garland | 3,773 | 43.05 | -31.44 |
| Liberal | Jesse Elmer Gouge | 2,917 | 33.28 | – |
| Conservative | William James Douglass | 2,075 | 23.67 | +0.55 |
1921 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % | ±% |
| Progressive | Edward Joseph Garland | 11,527 | 74.49 | +57.43 |
| Conservative | William Rose Fulton | 3,579 | 23.13 | -20.98 |
| Unknown | Herbert Adolph Wiertz | 369 | 2.38 | – |
1917 Canadian federal election :
| Candidate | Votes | % |
| Government (Unionist) | Howard Hadden Halladay | 3,757 | 44.11 |
| Opposition (Laurier Liberals) | Jesse Elmer Gouge | 2,996 | 35.17 |
| Nonpartisan League | Daniel Harcourt Galbraith | 1,453 | 17.06 |
| Labour | John Reid | 312 | 3.66 |