Tag Archives: Liberal Party

Politics

Split vote lifted Gunn to victory despite controversy

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By Rochelle Baker and Sonal Gupta, Canada’s National Observer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Controversial Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn ended his successful campaign the same way he started it: by keeping his whereabouts secret and avoiding questions from the media.

Gunn, whose inflammatory social media history drew national attention and widespread calls for his removal as candidate, was elected in North Island-Powell River with 39% of the vote. He flipped the riding, defeating NDP candidate Tanille Johnston, who garnered 33% of the vote. Liberal Jennifer Lash carried 26% and Green Jessica Wegg drew 2%.

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Politics

Election sees transformation of Vancouver Island representation

By Nora O’Malley, Ha-Shilth-Sa, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As the dust settles from the 2025 federal election, the Liberals have retained a minority government – but amid a growing Conservative presence in Ottawa and a devasted NDP party.

Under the new leadership of Mark Carney, the April 28 vote has resulted in the Liberals earning a projected 169 seats in the House of Commons – just three shy of the representation needed to for a majority. This is more than the 153 the Liberals previously held in the last Parliament, but Conservatives saw their representation grow more markedly, increasing from the 120 seats at the last sitting of the House to a projected 144. Meanwhile the Bloc Quebecois kept 22 seats – losing 11 from the last Parliament – and the New Democrats saw their representation fall from 25 to just seven. The Green Party’s representation fell from two to one.

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Politics

Liberal Minority; the Race in North Island Powell River

The Liberal Party’s anticipated landslide failed to materialize on election night. Mark Carney has been elected Prime Minister of Canada, but up until this afternoon it was not clear that he will form a majority or minority government.

Fair Vote Canada described the results of this election as a ‘tsunami of strategic voting.’ 

On Vancouver Island

Green Party leader Elizabeth May was re-elected in Saanich–Gulf Islands and is now her party’s only remaining Member of Parliament.

Two days ago, the NDP held six ridings on Vancouver Island; after election night, only Courtenay–Alberni remains in NDP hands. 

The expected Conservative surge on the islands was weaker than what the projections had suggested. They only captured three ridings from the NDP: North Island–Powell River, Nanaimo–Ladysmith, and Cowichan–Malahat–Langford.

The Liberals won the NDP’s old southern Vancouver Island seats in Esquimalt–Saanich–Sooke and Victoria.

North Island-Powell River

In North Island–Powell River, Conservative Aaron Gunn won with 31,356 votes (38.8%).

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Politics

What is the Strategic Vote In North Island-Powell River?

If you believe the climate is changing (i.e.- the average global temperature is increasing, the number and extent of extreme weather events are increasing, the mass die-off of shellfish along BC’s coast did occur etc, etc) you are probably not voting for the Conservative Party. So what is the strategic alternative?

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Politics

Visiting the Liberal Campaign Headquarters & poll #3 for our riding

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I volunteered for the NDP Party during the 1968 election. Aside from that, the only campaign headquarters I’ve stepped inside was Elizabeth May’s Salt Spring Island office in 2019. So when in the midst of doing errands in Campbell River, I found myself with more than an hour to spare, it seemed like a fun idea to visit a campaign headquarters. Somebody told me the ‘red guys’ are behind Save On Foods, which is how I ended up at Jennifer Lash’s headquarters.

I did not find out about that yet another poll has been conducted in our riding until I returned home. Like poll #2, it shows the Liberals having taken over the second place slot. After contacting 318 voters in North Island Powell River between April 20 and 21, Spadina Strategies reported that 37% intended to vote for the Conservatives, 30% Liberal, 25% NDP, 5% Green and 2% were undecided. 

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