NDP incumbent John Rafferty was re-elected in landslide fashion Monday night as the orange wave crashed through Thunder Bay-Rainy River on its way to second-place standing in the House of Commons.
But the win was bittersweet for Rafferty, who will represent the party against a majority Conservative government under Prime Minister-elect Stephen Harper.
“Let me just say that the New Deomcrats are the Conservative fighters, so we’ll hold their toes to the fire if these results stand,” said Rafferty, who hadn’t yet seen the declaration of a Tory majority.
Rafferty, first elected in 2008, said he was humbled at the support, capturing 48.9 per cent of the popular vote, with 200 of 212 polls reporting.
“There’s lots of work to do. We’ll roll up the sleeves and hit the road first thing in the morning,” Rafferty said, shortly after arriving at Chicago Joes, where huge cheers erupted as he walked through the restaurant’s doors.
The NDP had a record showing, leading and elected in 103 seats.
Rafferty said being part of the official opposition will be something new federally for he and his colleagues, who had just 36 seats when the election was called.
“Of course we have lots of experience in a number of provinces, either in official opposition or leading the government. And I think (NDP Leader) Jack Layton and his team will be fabulous,” he said.
The difference came in Quebec, where the NDP won an unprecedented 61 seats.
This meant few cheers at the local campaign headquarters of the other parties, none less somber than former MP Ken Boshcoff, whose Liberal party went down to a humiliating defeat and for the first time in Canadian history won’t finish in one of the top two spots.
At press time the Liberals were elected or leading in just 34 ridings, and Boshcoff, a Thunder Bay city councillor, appears to have fallen victim the rush away from the country’s self-described natural governing party.
Boshcoff, who finished second to Rafferty in 2008, with 32.3 per cent of the vote, slipped to third place this time around behind Conservative Maureen Comuzzi-Stehmann, the first time since 1984 the Tories climbed as high as second in the riding, ironically with Boshcoff as their candidate.
Comuzzi-Stehmann grabbed 27 per cent of the vote, a slight improvement over Richard Neumann’s 2008 results.
Boshcoff earned just 21.7 per cent approval and said it was tough to withstand the Conservative tidal wave, buoyed by a $7 million negative ad campaign.
Still, he thought he had a chance.
"I don’t think that I could’ve been clearer in terms of issues and experience and offering what I felt we needed at this time of economic opportunity in Northwestern Ontario’s status," Boschoff said.
With his party decimated, Boshcoff said it’s time for the Liberals in Thunder Bay and across Canada to completely reevaluate where the party is on the political spectrum.
In the face of a comfortable Conservative majority, Boshcoff said it might even be time to discuss the possibility of a united left.
"I’ve often said that Canada with five parties just doesn’t make sense," said Boshcoff. ‘The good news is the Bloc Quebecois getting decimated I am somewhat encouraged by that."
The Bloc, who had 47 seats at the dissolution of Parliament, are leading and elected in just four, a result that would cost them official party status and millions in dollars in federal funding.
Comuzzi-Stehmann said she’s disappointed at not winning a seat, but happy for the party under Harper, who will govern with a majority for the first time, leading or elected in 166 seats.
“(Stephen Harper) has worked very hard and the Canadian people have spoken. We’re sorry we couldn’t get Thunder Bay-Rainy River for him under our belts. I was honoured to work under a man with the credentials and integrity that Stephen Harper has. He’s an amazing man and a wonderful prime minister,” she said, reached by phone at her Arthur Street campaign headquarters.
The Green Party’s Ed Shields finished fourth, with just 2.4 per cent of voters casting ballots his way.
With files from Jamie Smith and CKPR’s Katelyn Carr Swinburne
But the win was bittersweet for Rafferty, who will represent the party against a majority Conservative government under Prime Minister-elect Stephen Harper.
“Let me just say that the New Deomcrats are the Conservative fighters, so we’ll hold their toes to the fire if these results stand,” said Rafferty, who hadn’t yet seen the declaration of a Tory majority.
Rafferty, first elected in 2008, said he was humbled at the support, capturing 48.9 per cent of the popular vote, with 200 of 212 polls reporting.
“There’s lots of work to do. We’ll roll up the sleeves and hit the road first thing in the morning,” Rafferty said, shortly after arriving at Chicago Joes, where huge cheers erupted as he walked through the restaurant’s doors.
The NDP had a record showing, leading and elected in 103 seats.
Rafferty said being part of the official opposition will be something new federally for he and his colleagues, who had just 36 seats when the election was called.
“Of course we have lots of experience in a number of provinces, either in official opposition or leading the government. And I think (NDP Leader) Jack Layton and his team will be fabulous,” he said.
The difference came in Quebec, where the NDP won an unprecedented 61 seats.
This meant few cheers at the local campaign headquarters of the other parties, none less somber than former MP Ken Boshcoff, whose Liberal party went down to a humiliating defeat and for the first time in Canadian history won’t finish in one of the top two spots.
At press time the Liberals were elected or leading in just 34 ridings, and Boshcoff, a Thunder Bay city councillor, appears to have fallen victim the rush away from the country’s self-described natural governing party.
Boshcoff, who finished second to Rafferty in 2008, with 32.3 per cent of the vote, slipped to third place this time around behind Conservative Maureen Comuzzi-Stehmann, the first time since 1984 the Tories climbed as high as second in the riding, ironically with Boshcoff as their candidate.
Comuzzi-Stehmann grabbed 27 per cent of the vote, a slight improvement over Richard Neumann’s 2008 results.
Boshcoff earned just 21.7 per cent approval and said it was tough to withstand the Conservative tidal wave, buoyed by a $7 million negative ad campaign.
Still, he thought he had a chance.
"I don’t think that I could’ve been clearer in terms of issues and experience and offering what I felt we needed at this time of economic opportunity in Northwestern Ontario’s status," Boschoff said.
With his party decimated, Boshcoff said it’s time for the Liberals in Thunder Bay and across Canada to completely reevaluate where the party is on the political spectrum.
In the face of a comfortable Conservative majority, Boshcoff said it might even be time to discuss the possibility of a united left.
"I’ve often said that Canada with five parties just doesn’t make sense," said Boshcoff. ‘The good news is the Bloc Quebecois getting decimated I am somewhat encouraged by that."
The Bloc, who had 47 seats at the dissolution of Parliament, are leading and elected in just four, a result that would cost them official party status and millions in dollars in federal funding.
Comuzzi-Stehmann said she’s disappointed at not winning a seat, but happy for the party under Harper, who will govern with a majority for the first time, leading or elected in 166 seats.
“(Stephen Harper) has worked very hard and the Canadian people have spoken. We’re sorry we couldn’t get Thunder Bay-Rainy River for him under our belts. I was honoured to work under a man with the credentials and integrity that Stephen Harper has. He’s an amazing man and a wonderful prime minister,” she said, reached by phone at her Arthur Street campaign headquarters.
The Green Party’s Ed Shields finished fourth, with just 2.4 per cent of voters casting ballots his way.
With files from Jamie Smith and CKPR’s Katelyn Carr Swinburne
