Russell (Manitoba electoral district)

For Ontario electoral district with the same name, see Russell (Ontario electoral district).

The 1998-2011 boundaries for Russell highlighted in red

Russell was a provincial electoral division in the Canadian province of Manitoba. It was located in the southwestern section of the province.

Historical riding

The original Russell riding was created in 1886, shortly after the expansion of Manitoba's western boundaries. It existed until 1957, when it was combined with the riding of Birtle as Birtle-Russell. The riding was primarily agrarian, and elected candidates from various parties who supported agrarian interests.

List of provincial representatives

Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office
Edward Leacock	Cons	1886	1888
James Fisher	Lib	1888	1889(?)
	Independent/Opposition	1889(?)	1896
	Cons	1896	1899
Henry Mullins	Cons	1899	1903
W.J. Doig	Lib	1903	1907
Angus Bonnycastle	Cons	1907	1914
Donald C. McDonald	Lib	1914	1915
William Wilson	Lib	1915	1922
Isaac Griffiths	Prog	1922	1932
	Lib-Prog	1932	1941
William Wilson	Lib-Prog	1941	1949
Rodney Clement	Independent Lib-Prog	1949	1954(?)
	Lib-Prog	1954(?)	1958

Modern riding

The riding of Birtle-Russell lasted from 1957 to 1979, and the subsequent riding of Roblin-Russell from 1979 to 1999. In 1999, the Roblin section of the riding was joined with Dauphin as Dauphin—Roblin, and a separate Russell riding was re-established. The riding was dissolved again in 2011.

The modern riding was bordered to the north by Dauphin—Roblin, to the east by Ste. Rose, to the south by Minnedosa and Arthur-Virden, and to the west by the province of Saskatchewan. The town of Russell was the main urban centre in this riding, which also included Birtle, Inglis, Angusville, Rossburn, Erickson, Oakburn, Shoal Lake and Hamiota. The Riding Mountain National Park and Asessippi Provincial Park were also located in Russell.

The riding's population in 1996 was 18,647. In 1999, the average family income was $39,999, and the unemployment rate was 6.10%. Russell remained primarily an agrarian riding, with agriculture accounting for 32% of its industry. Fourteen per cent of the riding's residents were aboriginal, and a further 13% were Ukrainian. The riding also had the second-highest percentage of senior citizens in Manitoba, at 21% of the total.

The last MLA was Len Derkach of the Progressive Conservative Party, who held the riding of Roblin-Russell from 1986 to 1999. The New Democratic Party made serious inroads in the riding before its dissolution.

Following the 2008 electoral redistribution, the riding was renamed Riding Mountain and expanded to include parts of the riding of Minnedosa. This change took effect for the 2011 election.

List of provincial representatives

Name	Party	Took Office	Left Office
Len Derkach	PC	1999	2011

Electoral results

2003 Manitoba general election: Russell
Party	Candidate	Votes	%	±%	Expenditures	Progressive Conservative	Len Derkach	4,087			$27,389.37
	New Democratic	Don Yanick	3,208			$16,433.91
	Liberal	Joan Clement	571		–	$5,109.83
Total valid votes
Rejected and declined ballots
Turnout
Electors on the lists
Source: Elections Manitoba