As a sea of red swept across Canada on Oct. 19, Wellington-Halton Hills remained a Conservative stronghold.
Incumbent MP Michael Chong received 32,367 votes (50.8%) in the riding to beat out Liberal candidate Don Trant, who received 22,240 votes (36.5%).
“I will work hard to make sure the people of this riding have their voices heard loud and clear in Ottawa,” Chong said on election night at Judy’s Restaurant in Brisbane.
He noted it was important for local voters to elect “the person best able to represent the people of Wellington County and Halton Hills. That is exactly what I will do in the coming weeks and coming months.”
Trailing Chong and Trant in the riding were NDP candidate Anne Gajerski-Cauley (5,318 votes or 8.4%), the Green Party’s Brent Bouteiller (2,545 votes, 4%) and Canadian Action Party candidate Harvey Anstey (183, 0.3%).
The results in Wellington-Halton Hills did not follow the national trend on election night, which saw Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau cruise to a majority win, with his party securing 184 of 338 seats and 39.5% of the popular vote.
Stephen Harper was expected to resign as party leader following the loss, which saw the Conservatives win 99 seats, with 31.9% of the popular vote. The party will now serve as the official opposition in Ottawa.
The NDP fell to 44 seats with 19.7% of the popular vote, the Bloc Quebecois won 10 (4.7%) and the Green Party retained its one seat (3.4%).
“Obviously we’re disappointed with the results nationally, but … the majority of the people in this riding supported us,” said Chong, who was first elected MP in 2004.
Monday’s win marks his fifth consecutive victory in the local riding.
“The nation has decided we will serve as … (the) opposition – and that is exactly what we will do,” Chong said. “We will hold the Liberal government to account on their promises, but also on their fiscal plan.”
He contended the Liberal promises will take Canada into debt at a time when interest rates are starting to rise.
“They have promised a whole raft of spending programs for which there is no plan to pay for them,” Chong said.
However, Trant expressed confidence in his party’s plan and was pleased with Liberal gains in a riding historically dominated by the Conservative Party.
“Not only did we have to climb a mountain, we had to move that mountain,” Trant said in statement.
He more than doubled the Liberal share of the vote compared to the 2011 campaign in Wellington-Halton Hills, when his party captured just 16%.
Trant, who was greeted by a large crowd of supporters at the Acton Town Hall, took time out to thank his campaign team and congratulate his opponent.
“It was phenomenal that we had so many people involved from all across this riding. I am extremely proud to be a Liberal, to be a Canadian, and to be part of the best campaign team in all of Canada,” he said.
“I congratulate Michael Chong. During the campaign, he was clear that his government had made a mistake by cancelling the long form census, and that action is needed on climate change.
“I look forward to seeing him support this legislation when it is brought forward.”
In Brisbane, Chong thanked “each and every one” of his supporters.
“We couldn’t have done it without you,” he said, specifically thanking his campaign manager Jim Smith.
“Jim and I have seen more of each other in the last 11 weeks than anyone else … including my wife,” said Chong, who then quipped he and Smith are “going into couple’s therapy.”
Chong, also gave special thanks to his wife Carrie, noted the campaign took his team to places residents in other parts of the riding might not be aware of, including Cedar Valley, Ballinafad, Orton, Everton, Oustic and Inverhaugh.
Later in the evening Chong told the Advertiser he would be “happy to serve in whatever capacity the leader wants me to … Clearly, we’re going to be the official opposition and we have a role to play in the parliamentary system of government making sure the government is accountable.”
Chong said it was too early to tell what is going to happen with the Conservative leadership.
In the coming term, Chong said his party will “hold the (new) government accountable on its plan to plunge us into deficit. We don’t think that’s good for Canada’s long-term fiscal health.”
Chong added there is a continued need to reform the House of Commons and the Reform Act, which he introduced, was a first step in the right direction.
“But more reforms are needed and that is an issue I am committed to,” he said.
Gajerski-Cauley and Bouteiller did not return calls by press deadline.
*With files from Chris Daponte
