The Conservatives have swept all 13 seats in Calgary, despite the Liberals winning a minority government in Monday’s federal election .
The rest of Alberta’s 34 seats also went blue, with the exception of Edmonton-Strathcona, where the NDP won. A minority government means that no party won the majority of seats (170) in the House of Commons. Instead, the party with the most seats will likely form government with the cooperation of other parties.
Conservatives across the city were pleased with the local victories, but frustrated with the national results.
“Over the past four years, we’ve seen what a Liberal government has done. A lot of jobs lost in Alberta. I’m an engineering student and I know a lot of engineers who have lost their jobs,” said Tunde Adeniran, a supporter at the Conservative party rally downtown.
At Greg McLean’s headquarters in Calgary Centre, supporters chanted the candidate’s name as he made his way into the building. McLean was declared the leader around 9 p.m., defeating former cabinet minister Kent Hehr.
Red scrapes through to win a minority government
According to Elections Canada the Liberals have won 157 of a possible 338 seats.
Parliament was dissolved on Sept. 11 and will remain not in session until the governor general invites the winning party to form government.
In Calgary, both Liberal candidates that were thought to have a chance — Hehr and Nirmala Naidoo in Calgary-Skyview — were both defeated.
Hehr said his heart was full and thanked his young supporters.
“The future is bright because of you guys,” he said in his concession speech.
A Canada of many colours
Across the country, Elections Canada preliminary reports that the Conservatives hold 121 seats, Bloc Quebecois 32, the NDP 24, the Greens 3 and 1 independent.
The Green party tripled their seat total from last election, from one to three. Party Leader Elizabeth May won her seat in Saanich-Gulf Islands, as did colleagues on Vancouver Island and P.E.I.
The Bloc Quebecois took a modest portion of House with 32 seats. The People’s Party of Canada won no seats in this election. Not even leader Maxime Bernier won his Quebec riding.
Moving forward
Justin Trudeau’s first term in office was filled with scandals like SNC-Lavalin, brownface and alleged insider trading by Finance Minister Bill Morneau.
Despite this, Trudeau will likely be the next Prime Minister of Canada.
The Liberals have promised to get the Trans-Mountain pipeline built, to double down on their climate initiatives and to invest in the middle class.
Goals like this will be more difficult to achieve with a minority government because the other parties combined hold more seats than the Liberals. One Calgary liberal supporter said they hoped the government would be able to move forward together.
“Politics should be a creative process where people sit down, and respectfully listen to come up with answers that will work…” said Duane Dawson, an eighth-year Liberal supporter.
“Like accommodation, not compromise.”
Editor | Sarah Green | sgreen@cjournal.ca