Although all-candidates meetings during this past election campaign left incumbent MP Colin Mayes wondering, at times, about his support, that support did not let him down on election night.
The Conservative MP was elected for a third consecutive time in the Okanagan-Shuswap riding, giving him a resounding 31,443 votes or 55.44 per cent of the vote share.
In second is the NDP’s Nikki Inouye with 14,961 votes or 26.38 per cent.
Greig Crockett of the Green Party tallied third with 6,063 votes or 10.69 per cent, while Liberal Janna Francis repeated the flagging trend of the Liberal Party country-wide with 4,246 votes or 7.49 per cent.
“In the all-candidates meetings I am a target; you come away wondering how you’re doing, but when you’re going door-to-door I’ve had a good reception, very positive,” he told the Observer from his Salmon Arm campaign office.
Mayes is understandably pleased with the Conservative majority.
“I’m happy for the prime minister. I feel he’s been a good leader. I’m happy Canadians are going to give him a chance to prove himself and get some of the things done he wants to get done.”
For Mayes, those things include “the Trans-Canada Highway or cracking down on crime or continuing with the economic action plan. I’d like to see the deficit under control – we have a plan and in that area we’re doing better than expected. We’ll continue with our good management of taxpayers’ dollars.”
Asked about insights he’s had or things he’s learned during this campaign, he replied: “One thing I’ve felt, I feel I get around to all the areas, and have gone to every event and meeting I’ve been asked, I feel maybe I need to initiate meetings with those people who don’t necessarily hold to my ideologies. The green community in this area have some concerns about issues, and I’d like to think they’d be able to sit down, instead of criticize, discuss the issues and come up with answers and better understanding.”
Overall, “I really do think it’s a privilege to serve and I’ve always said this, when there’s no joy in this job, I’ll leave. My wife and I enjoy meeting people and doing what I can for the constituency. I’m looking forward to serving four more years, meeting more people and building those relationships.”
As for second-place finisher, Inouye, she said she’s happy with her results.
“I think the numbers went up from the last election and that’s a positive direction,” she said. “I thought my campaign was top-notch.”
Inouye says she does not believe that being away from the riding on a labour union course for the first two weeks of the campaign had any negative bearing on her in the polls.
She offers high praise to her campaign team and all the people throughout the riding who showed her such great support.
Inouye was not so enthusiastic about Harper getting a majority government.
“I’m not gonna lie, I’m very disappointed,” she said. “I guess there’s a lot of work to do, but to say more than that would be premature. We’ll have to wait and see what happens.”
While she says she’ll remain in the constituency where she was born and raised, and has no plans to put politics on the shelf, Inouye says four years is too long a time to make a decision now on whether she’ll take another run at a federal campaign.
As for the Greens, the party may be down but not out.
Candidate Greig Crockett said he was feeling positive with his third-place showing, considering his party received almost no media coverage during the election campaign.
Regarding his view of the national scene and Stephen Harper’s majority win, Crockett declared himself to be “grumpy on the national scene.”
“I think it’s pleasing we had such a positive response; several people apologized to me and said they felt that in order to oust Harper, from a strategic point of view, they had to vote otherwise – this time,” he said. “I am pleased the NDP has taken the lead on a national scale, but it won’t be effective.”
Crockett said a Conservative majority is a huge win for corporate America, not Canadians.
“I feel very sad about it, I think it’s an unfortunate situation for Canada unless Mr. Harper changes his approach and past behaviour,” Crockett says. “The rest of the world will be looking at Canada with dismay. We’re losing position in the world.”
Crockett warns climate change initiatives will be stalled and funding cuts made to opposition parties.
“Canadians must remain extremely vigilant over his behaviour with democracy and we’ll have to keep our eyes on the CBC,” he said, warning of its possible demise under Harper’s rule.
Crockett was pleased that Elizabeth May was successful in her Vancouver Island riding. He said with a Green in the house there would be a different kind of debate and a different focus for the media.
While he’s not saying he’ll be a candidate four years down the road, Crockett promises there will be a lot of enthusiastic excitement in the party.
With the federal Conservative majority, Janna Francis is concerned not only for the fate of the Liberal party, but for the future of all Canadians.
Francis admits she is disappointed with the results locally. But it’s what has happened to the federal Liberals as a whole that has her upset.
“I think it’s devastating obviously, nationally, what’s happened to the Liberal Party of Canada,” said Francis, after watching the party slip in the polls well below the NDP.
What’s even more disturbing for Francis, however, are the words “Harper Conservative majority.”
“Well, frankly, I’m worried about my country, I’m worried about the direction he is going to take us in with his right-wing ideological agenda, that does not represent my beliefs and the beliefs of many of the people in this riding and across Canada,” says Francis. “And we will see. I think we’re in for a very rough time.”
But this has not discouraged Francis, who says she will continue to work in the riding, noting there is an even greater need for a centrist party with such a history as the Liberals.
“We need that, especially with the polarization that’s quite apparent in the House of Commons,” says Francis. “Canada, more than ever, needs a strong centrist party, and we need to grow and develop. As always, we’ll reflect on what’s happened.”
Francis said she plans to keep her eye on Mayes and make sure he is held accountable.
“And if there are issues, call me,” says Francis.