[3] Following allegations of irregularities in his campaign spending, Penashue announced on March 14, 2013 that he would resign his seat and run again as a candidate in a new by-election.

The riding contains a large indigenous population, including the Inuit self-governing territory of Nunatsiavut, as well as two Innu reserves Sheshatshiu and Natuashish.

Citing the region's highly distinct identity and seeing it as a community of interest they have the legal duty to respect, successive electoral boundary commissions have used their ability to make exceptions to the general electoral quotient to maintain Labrador as a separate riding.

In earlier representation orders, it was joined with communities on the Great Northern Peninsula of the island of Newfoundland.

Ethnic groups: 65.1% White, 34.9% Native Canadian Languages (2016): 86.4% English, 5.6% Innu, 2.3% Naskapi, 1.5% French, 1.4% Inuktitut, 1.3% Tagalog, 0.1% German, 0.1% Panjabi, 0.1% Spanish[10] Religions: 67.4% Protestant, 28.4% Catholic, 3.4% No affiliation Average income: $27 138 The district includes all of Labrador, including Belle Isle, North and South Aulatsivik Island.

Liberal MP Bill Rompkey held the seat from 1972 till his appointment to the Senate of Canada in 1995.

The Liberal candidate, Todd Russell, who was heavily favoured, ended up winning, but with a reduced percentage from the 2004 election.

On December 16, 2004, MP Lawrence O'Brien died of cancer, the next year Prime Minister Paul Martin called a by-election for May 24, 2005.