Green party leader Elizabeth May became the party’s first elected federal member of parliament Monday when she won the Saanich-Gulf Islands riding, unseating Conservative cabinet minister Gary Lunn.
With results from 180 out of 245 polls at press time, May had 21,884 votes compared to 15,168 for Lunn, who had won the riding in the past five elections.
May told about 250 of her supporters at the Viscount Arrow Centre in Sidney that Lunn had conceded defeat in a phone call.
“I want to thank the 2,000 volunteers from Saanich Gulf Islands who today made history,” she said.
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“I stand here today as the first elected Green member in Canadian history.”
As her followers chanted, “May, May, May,” their new MP told them: “Today we proved that Canadians want change in politics.”
The 56-year-old lawyer and author had entered the airport hangar to huge cheers. In her victory speech, May said she remains committed “to rejecting the politics of cynicism and fear, to embracing hope, and to respect and bringing respect back to our House of Commons.”
She said: “I will never shrink from speaking truth to power, nor will I embrace the politics of spin.
“We need hope over fear, and we need compassion over competition. We need to recognize that Canadians deserve a government where 308 MPs figure out how to work together.”
The job now is to show Canada that one Green can make a difference, May said. Amid scenes of jubilation, May’s deputy campaign manager, Jordy Gold, said: “We have been working six years to make this happen.”
At the Sidney Pier Hotel, Lunn gave a brief upbeat speech to shocked supporters. As some of his followers wiped away tears, Lunn urged them to celebrate the Conservative majority and what the government will be able to do for Canada.
“This is a great day for Canada,” Lunn said.
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