Tradition ruled in the North Okanagan-Shuswap on election night, with a Conservative returned to power.
Preliminary election results showed incumbent Mel Arnold capturing the riding handily, winning close to 49 per cent of the vote.
Arnold is pleased with the strong victory.
乌鸦传媒淚t乌鸦传媒檚 rewarding after four years of work and hearing from the people and seeing the change across the country. The direction of this riding has taken a turn. I hope I can take that as a show of the trust that I乌鸦传媒檝e built. It乌鸦传媒檚 hard work, it乌鸦传媒檚 nice to see if recognized. But there乌鸦传媒檚 always more to learn.乌鸦传媒�
Nationally, Arnold said he will wait and see how the final numbers pan out but, in North Okanagan-Shuswap, a win wasn乌鸦传媒檛 unexpected.
乌鸦传媒淚 guess no great surprises in this riding. I felt I had the support. I had a huge volunteer team helping out that just made it possible. Without the volunteers we couldn乌鸦传媒檛 have done all this, so I want to give a great big thank you to them乌鸦传媒ξ谘淮綕
With the Conservatives in Opposition nationally, Arnold, who was first elected in 2015, will remain a back bencher.
The riding has been Conservative, Alliance or Reform since 1993; prior to that election NDP Lyle MacWilliam was MP.
Liberal Cindy Derkaz, running in her second consecutive federal election in the riding and again polling second, was excited about the national outcome. As for the riding, she said the Conservatives won it 乌鸦传媒渇air and square.乌鸦传媒�
乌鸦传媒淚 wanted to say this whole effort has been all about our community and about our team that has come together.
We have had tremendous support and tremendous effort from volunteers from all over this riding who carried this vision and wanted to see a Liberal MP sitting at this table. But, that is not to be. Fair and square, the Conservatives have once again taken this riding and I acknowledge that. I am going to congratulate Mr. Arnold the second I can get him on the phone.乌鸦传媒�
Stay tuned for live updates on the 2019 federal election in the North Okanagan-Shuswap riding! First we hear from Liberal candidate Cindy Derkaz乌鸦传媒� campaign team in Salmon Arm.
乌鸦传媒� Salmon Arm Observer (@SalmonArm)
To exuberant cheers, Derkaz said the campaign and the volunteers impressed Justin Trudeau.
乌鸦传媒淚 want you to know that Justin Trudeau called me on Friday morning and that was in the fight of his life; he took five minutes of his life to call the candidate in the North Okanagan-Shuswap riding乌鸦传媒� He called because he said we had the attention of the national party who really saw the hard work and the numbers we乌鸦传媒檝e done, the 35,000 attempts we made to talk to people and that乌鸦传媒檚 unbelievable. He said the marketing we乌鸦传媒檝e done was outstanding, the running shoe, the ads 乌鸦传媒� across Canada we got noticed and that乌鸦传媒檚 thanks to you here in this room with us.乌鸦传媒�
NDP candidate Harwinder Sandhu, a newcomer to politics and in third place, said the people have sent a clear message by electing a minority government.
乌鸦传媒淭hey want to have their voices heard. A lot of Canadians were hoping for proportional representation, as Trudeau promised in the last election. Polls today show 72 per cent want proportional representation. So I think that乌鸦传媒檚 a clear message being sent.乌鸦传媒�
North Okanagan-Shuswap NDP candidate Harwinder Sandhu's daughter Jasreen, 12, has the job of posting election night poll results at mom's Vernon campaign office.
乌鸦传媒� Vernon Morning Star (@VernonNews)
Marc Reinarz said the Green Party makes inroads with every election, and he乌鸦传媒檚 pleased with the Liberal minority.
乌鸦传媒淚 think it is good for the country that the Conservatives won乌鸦传媒檛 rule 乌鸦传媒� I think that is a vote against youth and against the future of the planet.乌鸦传媒�
He said if he can乌鸦传媒檛 win, he乌鸦传媒檚 glad the Liberals 乌鸦传媒渉ave at least some intention乌鸦传媒� of battling climate change.
Marc Reinarz thanks his supporters while announcing his intentions to run as the Green candidate next time around. During his campaign he says he乌鸦传媒檚 learned what to do, and what not to do, for next time.
乌鸦传媒� Brendan Shykora (@brendanshykora)
People乌鸦传媒檚 Party candidate Kyle Delfing was happy his party had a chance to share its views.
乌鸦传媒淭he supporters that we had in the beginning compared to now are, I乌鸦传媒檓 going to say, tenfold. Maybe a hundredfold.乌鸦传媒�
He added that his party is in its infancy and 乌鸦传媒渧oters will need time to get to know them.乌鸦传媒� He also noted that, 乌鸦传媒渋f you look at the Conservative platform that came out nine days ago, they have a lot of PPC-like policies.乌鸦传媒�
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The vote was a little different in the North Okanagan-Shuswap School District. Student voters at Salmon Arm Secondary put narrow support behind Conservative Mel Arnold who was first past the post with 94 votes. He was followed closely by Green Marc Reinarz and NDP Harwinder Sandhu who were neck and neck with 85. Coming in fourth was Liberal Cindy Derkaz with 58 votes followed by Kyle Delfing of the People乌鸦传媒檚 Party with five.
marthawickett@saobserver.net
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