It was created in 1999 from parts of Lambton, Chatham—Kent and Middlesex when ridings were redistributed to match their federal counterparts.

From 1999 to 2007 the riding consisted of the municipalities of Lambton Shores, Warwick, Brooke-Alvinston, Dawn-Euphemia, Southwest Middlesex, Newbury, Adelaide Metcalfe, Strathroy-Caradoc, Oneida 41, Chippewas of the Thames First Nation 42, Plympton-Wyoming, Enniskillen, Petrolia, Oil Springs, Walpole Island 46, Chatham-Kent north of the Thames River and not including the former city of Chatham, and the southwest third of North Middlesex.

A rural riding by nature, the issues of gun control and abortion arise frequently during town-hall meetings and elections.

During the 1999 election, the riding attracted controversy as it included Ipperwash Provincial Park - the sight of a 1995 stand-off between the Ontario Provincial Police and native land protesters known as the Ipperwash Crisis.

Despite the controversy, Progressive Conservative MPP Marcel Beaubien was re-elected to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario, despite strong campaigns by Liberal former municipal politician Larry O'Neil and New Democratic candidate Jim Lee, then-President of United Automobile Workers Local 251.