In 2004, Liberal Andy Mitchell was elected Member of Parliament for the district, and was the Minister of Agriculture.

He was narrowly defeated in the 2006 election by Conservative Tony Clement, who was the President of the Treasury Board until November 4, 2015.

It consisted initially of the territorial districts of Parry Sound and Muskoka (excluding the township of Baxter), and the following townships in the territorial district of Nipissing: Ballantyne, Wilkes, Pentland, Boyd, Paxton, Biggar, Osler, Lister, Butt, Devine, Bishop, Freswick, McCraney, Hunter, McLaughlin, Bower, Finlayson, Peck, Canisbay and Sproule.

In 1996, the riding was expanded to include the townships of Sherborne, McClintock, Livingstone, Lawrence and Nightingale in the County of Haliburton.

This riding has elected the following members of Parliament: According to the 2021 Canadian census[3] Ethnic groups: 90.9% White, 6.6% Indigenous Languages: 93.1% English, 1.2% French, 1.1% German Religions: 52.8% Christian (14.2% Catholic, 10.5% United Church, 7.9% Anglican, 3.2% Presbyterian, 2.3% Baptist, 1.2% Pentecostal, 1.0% Lutheran, 12.5% Other), 45.3% None Median income: $39,200 (2020) Average income: $52,500 (2020)