ST. JOHN’S, N.L. – Liberal candidate Yvonne Jones won the federal byelection in Labrador on Monday, capturing a seat that became vacant when former Conservative MP Peter Penashue quit due to campaign overspending and illegal contributions during the 2011 election.
Penashue urged voters to give him a second chance, saying he was guaranteed a spot back in Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s cabinet.
But during the campaign, Jones blasted the implied benefit of that inner government influence, accusing the Conservatives of “fear mongering” and “empty promises.”
She reminded voters that even with Penashue in cabinet, the province saw cuts to search and rescue services, employment insurance crackdowns and no sign of long promised new funding for the 5 Wing Goose Bay military base.
Jones, a former provincial Liberal party leader and 17-year veteran of the legislature, vowed that she would be a strong voice for Labrador and not dodge tough questions.
Jones could not immediately be reached for comment Monday night, but her campaign manager said the Liberal victory shows that Labradorians want a voice speaking on their behalf in Ottawa after two years of broken promises.
“It shows that Labrador people were ready for change, that they didn’t think the Conservatives had delivered on something they promised two years ago,” said Cindy Wall.
“They think that experience and a strong voice outweighed that pressure from the Conservatives that we had to have somebody in government.”
Penashue also couldn’t immediately be reached for comment.
Harry Borlase, a northern issues analyst and researcher, ran for the NDP.
Penashue stepped down as intergovernmental affairs minister in March, saying he wanted to acknowledge campaign overspending in 2011 and regain the trust of voters.
The former Innu Nation leader spent months under fire from opposition critics as other cabinet ministers defended him in Parliament before he resigned.
Elections Canada records show Penashue exceeded his campaign spending limit of $84,468.09 by $5,529.76 while also accepting tens of thousands of dollars in off-limits donations. They included cash from 16 listed corporations and non-monetary contributions from two airlines that flew him around the riding.
Elections Canada now says Penashue’s 2011 campaign return is final after repayments of almost $48,000, but it’s not known if files were referred to the Commissioner of Elections. The commissioner can issue compliance orders or seek criminal charges through the Office of the Public Prosecutor.
Elections Canada does not comment on individual files, and any charges stemming from investigations are only made public when the commissioner issues a news release.
The final expense limit for candidates in the byelection Monday was $89,852.84.
Penashue said in a recent interview that he ran this time with a separate campaign manager and an official agent to ensure everything was “on the up and up.” He blamed rookie mistakes for the election rule violations.
A spring snowstorm along Labrador’s north coast made it difficult for some voters to get to the polls.
But Elections Canada said people who couldn’t get to their home community to vote because of the storm were able to get transfer certificates and vote in another polling station.
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