Conservatives win locally; Liberals to form government

By Rob Vogt

It was a bittersweet result in Monday night’s federal election for local Conservatives.
Although the Conservatives won the Foothills riding on April 28, they came up short nationally in the fourth consecutive election, and the Liberals will once again form the national government.
The only question remaining at press time was whether the Liberals would form a minority or majority government.
The results are not official, as votes were still being counted and some ridings will be subject to recounts.
As of noon on April 29, the Liberals had 168 seats, four short of the 172 needed for a majority government.
The Conservatives will once again form the official opposition with 144 seats.
The separatist Bloc Qubeçois won 23 seats, the New Democratic Party won seven seats, and the Green Party won one seat.
Both Pierre Poilievre, leader of the Conservatives, and Jagmeet Singh, leader of the New Democratic Party, also lost their seats.
Locally, incumbent Conservative Member of Parliament John Barlow recorded a resounding victory with 54,115 votes for 76.5 percent of the total vote.
The remaining vote counts were:
• John Bruinsma, Liberal, 13,361 votes for 18.9 per cent;
• Kaitte Aurora, New Democratic Party, 1,894 for 2.7 per cent;
• Paul O’Halloran, People’s Party, 789 votes for 1.1 per cent;
• Emma Hoberg, Green Party, 610 votes for 0.9 per cent.
Voter turnout was approximately 74.32 per cent, not including electors who registered on election day.