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Moore Tories for majority
Longtime Conservative MP claims fifth-straight election in Tri-Cities Jennifer McFee jmcfee@thenownews.com “Four more years! Four more years! Four more years! Four more years!” Amid cheers and applause, this chant rang out at Westwood Plateau Golf and Country Club as Conservative James Moore stepped up to the podium. Moore delivered his victory speech Monday night after being elected for the fifth consecutive term in the Port MoodyWestwood-Port Coquitlam riding. But this election meant something different for Moore. The majority government means he will hold on to his seat for the next four years without the looming possibility of another election. “It means stability. It’s not just that minority Parliaments can be dysfunctional, but the threat of an election every three months is destabilizing to the government, which also in turn can be destabilizing to the economy. I think this stability will be good for British Columbia, will be good for the Tri-Cities, will be good for the economy,” Moore said. “This is what we asked for and Canadians agreed with us. They elected a majority government and I think it’s good for Canada. It’s a good night for Canada. We have fewer separatists in the House of Commons and we have a steady, stable majority government.
Fin swims to victory on NDP wave John Kurucz jkurucz@thenownews.com
since announced his resignation as party leader. Bloc Québécois leader Gilles Duceppe has resigned his post following an abysmal performance for the party at the polls, capturing only four seats. Duceppe also lost in his own riding of Laurier-Sainte Marie; NDP candidate Helene Laverdiere captured it from the incumbent, who has represented the area since 1990. Much ado was made about Jack Layton
His footwear and beverage of choice spoke volumes before Fin Donnelly even opened his mouth Monday night. Wearing matching green and orange Converse Chuck Taylors, and hoisting a bottle of Orange Crush above his head, Donnelly arrived at Coquitlam’s Sokela Restaurant at around 9:30 p.m. to a boisterous crowd of about 100 people celebrating his election night win in New WestminsterCoquitlam. Originally elected in a November 2009 byelection, Donnelly retained his seat Fin Donnelly defends his New West-Coquitlam seat. in the House of Commons after edging out Conservative candidate Diana Dilworth by more than 2,200 votes. “I am very honoured and humbled to be going back to Ottawa to represent you,” Donnelly said. Donnelly captured 45.9 per cent of votes, while Dilworth garnered 41.5 per cent. Liberal candidate Ken Beck Lee garnered 8.1 per cent of the popular vote, while Green Party candidate Rebecca Helps secured 4.3 per cent. Voter turnout in New Westminster-Coquitlam was recorded at 60.3 per cent. The New Westminster-Coquitlam riding has remained in NDP control since 2006, when Dawn Black defeated then incumbent Conservative candidate Paul Forseth. Donnelly went on to protect the NDP territory. Donnelly said issues such as the HST, overcrowding at Royal Columbian Hospital and environmental protection resonated with voters when he was on the campaign trail. “People are still really smarting over the HST. With the cost of things going up, the HST added on to that makes it even harder to live,” he said. Donnelly also acknowledged the unprecedented surge in popular support for his party
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3, see MAY MAKES HISTORY.
CONTINUED ON PAGE 3, see NDP NOW HAS.
NOW photos by Kevin HIll
James Moore will continue to represent the Port Moody-Westwood-Port Coquitlam riding. “This is absolutely what the public and the Tri-Cities said to me on the doorstep, which is we don’t want any more frivolous nonsense with elections and we want to make sure the government is focused on the economy. Well, done and done.” Moore is one of 167
Conservative candidates elected, a watershed number for the party that could not break the 155-seat majority mark in the last two elections. Two-time New WestminsterPort Coquitlam candidate Diana Dilworth lost out to NDP candidate Fin Donnelly, but she was
heartened by her party’s gains. “We won the war, but not the battle,” Dilworth told 50 supporters at Original Joe’s in Coquitlam. “I want everyone who contributed to know, you contributed to the Stephen Harper majority today.” CONTINUED ON PAGE 3, see TORIES.
A night of surprises, upsets and history Simone Blais sblais@thenownews.com There are winners and losers in every election. That’s the nature of a contest. But no one could have predicted that the 41st general election for Canada’s Parliament would have claimed the contenders it did, or elevate those who rose. The Conservative Party of Canada will have a majority government, having captured 167
seats with 54.2 per cent of the popular vote. But not everyone walked away from Monday night with good news. Two party leaders not only failed to achieve a minority government, they failed to secure their own seats. Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff conceded defeat in his riding of Etobicoke-Lakeshore, outside of Toronto. Many red ridings turned shades of blue or orange this election, as Liberals dipped from being the party with the second-most seats in the House of Commons to third with 34 elected MPs. Ignatieff has
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