Tag Archives: Mark Carney

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

How Aaron Gunn Riles Foes in a Coastal Riding

By Andrea Bennett, Originally published on the Tyee

It’s a packed house at the federal all-candidates meeting in Powell River, with one very notable absence: Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn.

Outside the Evergreen Theatre, campaign volunteers staff a table stacked with placards bearing Gunn’s name and face, perhaps with the idea his supporters may hold them up in the crowd, conjuring the idea of his presence.

Inside, four candidates — the NDP’s Tanille Johnston, the Green Party’s Jessica Wegg, the Liberals’ Jennifer Lash and Independent Glen Staples — answer questions about crime, the toxic drug crisis, reforming the RCMP, Israel and Palestine, and what they’d do to ensure Canada implements the recommendations emerging from the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.

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Politics

Jennifer Lash Talks About Polls and Cancelled Debates in North Island–Powell River

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With only five days of campaigning left until the election, Liberal candidate Jennifer Lash says the energy on the ground in North Island–Powell River is palpable.

 “We’ve been door knocking, doing ‘meet and greets’ and town halls and phone banking. I am  hearing just an amazing amount of support. So I’m loving it,” she said. 

“This poll to me reflects  what people are telling us. So I am optimistic that the undecided will come over and join us and that we can send a Liberal to Ottawa.” 

She was referring to the poll that Mainstreet Research released on Monday, April 21, which is one of the reasons I wanted to speak with her. You can access it on the Mainstreet website, but need to pay. I also wanted to ask about last night’s all candidates meeting in Campbell River, which was cancelled at the last minute.

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Politics

Poll Shows Conservatives With Marked Lead in North Island—Powell River

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With just six days remaining until election day, a new poll reveals the Conservatives hold a strong lead in the North Island—Powell River riding. Among the 402 eligible voters surveyed between April 17 and April 19, 45% said they intend to vote for Conservative candidate Aaron Gunn.

NDP candidate Tanille Johnston trails in second with 23%, followed by Liberal contender Jennifer Lash at 13%. Both Jessica Wegg of the Green Party and Paul Macknight of the People’s Party received 2% support, while independent candidate Glen Staples sits at 1%. Meanwhile, 15% of voters remain undecided.

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