As the Progressive Conservative party won another majority government in Alberta, most Edmonton ridings went to the PCs.
The two NDP incumbents, Brian Mason and Rachel Notley, were re-elected in the ridings of Highlands-Norwood and Edmonton-Strathcona, respectively. The NDP picked up two new seats in the Beverly-Clareview and Edmonton-Calder ridings. Tuesday morning, Elections Alberta showed NDP candidate for Beverly-Clareview Deron Bilous beating PC candidate Tony Vandermeer 5,264 votes to 5,018. Bilous is a High School teacher and Canada World Youth volunteer. In Calder, Elections Alberta shows NDP candidate David Eggen beating PC candidate Bev Esslinger 5,729 votes to 5,183. Eggen’s name is familiar because of his work as a public health and education advocate as Director of Friends of Medicare.
Mason cheerfully greeted a crowd of supporters at the Coast Plaza in Edmonton.
“We have won more votes in this election in many ridings than we have ever won before,” the NDP leader said, as supporters cheered.
Edmonton-Centre Liberal incumbent Laurie Blakeman won in her riding.
Edmonton-Meadowlark saw an extremely tight race where the lead changed back and forth throughout the night but in the end Liberal Leader Raj Sherman won.
Historically, Edmonton-Meadowlark has swung to different parties at different times. If Sherman had lost, it could have spelled disaster for the Liberals, who lost several seats across the province.
Sherman told supporters in Edmonton that the Liberals ran a strong campaign that’s sparked important conversation across the province.
“Though we wish we would have won more seats, we can and we should take great pride in the fact that we got people across Alberta talking about our ideas,” Sherman said. “We have started some very important conversations in this province.”
Sherman said the Liberals would continue to build their party’s strength for the next election in 2016.
Despite polls leading up to Election Day indicating a huge possibility of a Wildrose government, Albertans have chosen to stay with the Conservatives.
In fact, no Wildrose party members won in any of Edmonton’s 19 ridings, although the Wildrose took 20 seats, mostly in southern Alberta, and Danielle Smith officially became the Opposition Leader.
Some say a Progressive Conservative majority government means good news for Edmonton.
Premier Alison Redford has said she wants to make sure her government supports local decisions that would allow the city to flourish. She says Edmonton is a tremendous metropolis because its economy powers so much of the province and when it comes to big city issues such as the downtown arena, Redford says municipalities should be allowed to decide what they want to use provincially provided infrastructure money for.
Tonight, after winning her riding of Calgary-Elbow and being elected Alberta’s first female premier, Redford promised positive change to come for Albertans.
“Today, Alberta, you spoke and you spoke loudly. And I want you to know that I heard you,” Redford said to supporters in Calgary.
“Albertans want change. They want positive change and they want change that moves Alberta forward. Change is difficult and we don’t always get it right but I’ll tell you, this Progressive Conservative party has introduced change, has promised change and we’ll make change in this province.”
John Soroski, assistant professor of political science at MacEwan University, said the Conservative party went through a “near-death experience” during this election and believes such an experience means Redford is serious about her promises for change.
“They came through a very difficult time and have survived but I think they recognize that they need to be responsive,” Soroski said.
The Tories have promised 140 new family care centres, tax credits for active children and seniors, new schools and renovated old ones.
University of Alberta political scientist Jim Lightbody says many Edmontonians would be “more comfortable” with a PC government.
“They’re more likely to sustain the commitment to Edmonton’s wishlist and environmental matters, than is the Wildrose,” Lightbody told Global News earlier in the campaign.
A Wildrose government under Smith could have impacted Edmonton’s Royal Alberta museum project negatively. Smith has said her priority is to balance the budget and other “nice-to-have” items will have to wait. She said the museum project falls under a “nice-to-have” item but is not a top priority.
The election has proved to a historic one.
Albertans have elected a female premier for the first time in the province’s history.
With the win, the Progressive Conservatives achieves a 12th consecutive majority government, dating back to 1971.
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