Manitoba’s NDP has easily held a riding in the province’s north in a byelection.
Unofficial results posted by Elections Manitoba say Jennifer Flett received 2,635 votes on Tuesday in The Pas-Kameesak, well ahead of Progressive Conservative candidate Edna Nabess, who received 616 votes.
Dan Quesnel of the Manitoba Liberal Party got 165 votes, while Wally Daudrich under the Keystone Party banner received 105 votes.
The riding of The Pas-Kameesak was previously represented by NDP member Amanda Lathlin, who died in March.
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Daudrich, a former Progressive Conservative leadership candidate, moved to the Keystone Party after the Tories blocked him from running for the party in the next general election in the riding of Turtle Mountain.
The governing NDP currently hold 34 seats in the Manitoba legislature, the PCs have 20, the Liberals hold one, and there are two independent members.
“I’m honoured to have been chosen by people in The Pas-Kameesak to represent you,” Flett said in a news release from the NDP. “I’ve spoken with so many people about the difference our NDP team has made for people — but also the work still to do. I will be an advocate for the health care, jobs, and infrastructure we need.”
Premier Wab Kinew welcomed Flett to the party’s caucus, lauding her experience as an Opaskwayak Cree Nation vice chief and councillor, and what he said was her decades of work in corrections.
“She knows what families in her communities need, and I look forward to working with her to deliver better health care and more good jobs for The Pas-Kameesak,” Kinew said in the party’s statement.
Elections Manitoba said turnout in the byelection was just over 36 per cent of eligible voters.
And maycEdna Nabess win her seat!!