Liberal incumbent Terry Beech will continue to represent Burnaby North-Seymour after winning re-election in the 2019 campaign.
Beech was able to overcome skepticism in his position on the Trans Mountain pipeline expansion and an attempted comeback from former Burnaby MP Svend Robinson, who ran for the NDP and finished in second place.
“Tonight, the people of Burnaby North-Seymour have spoken, and they said we’re voting Liberal!” Beech told a roaring crowd at his campaign headquarters.
The riding is home to the Kinder Morgan terminal on Burnaby Mountain, which serves as the end point for the controversial oil pipeline and its planned expansion, which Robinson has vocally opposed.
Beech had been critical of the pipeline before he was elected to the newly-created riding in 2015. He later became more ambiguous about his support as he attempted to win approval from both advocates and opponents of the project.
Robinson has raised safety concerns for the thousands of residents who live close to the terminal, and has vowed to do everything it takes to stop the expansion for good.
“I’m going to continue to speak out about the issues of climate change and particularly Trans Mountain,” he said after conceding the race.
The NDP candidate was once the dominant face of federal politics in Burnaby, representing various ridings in the city from 1979 until 2004.
He withdrew his candidacy in the 2004 election after admitting to the theft of an expensive ring from a public auction site. His return was initially seen as a test of whether the incident would be forgotten by voters.
He also faced a new challenge this time around: winning over constituents in the section of North Vancouver that makes up part of Burnaby North-Seymour, which was newly created for the 2015 election.
Beech was ultimately able to bridge that divide between the North Shore and Burnaby for a second time.
The riding also saw drama for its Conservative candidate Heather Leung, who was dropped by the party after controversial comments against the LGBTQ2 community came to light.
Leung, who still appeared as the Conservative candidate on the ballot, finished third in the election. If she had won, she would have sat as an independent in Parliament, though she promised to vote with the Tories on legislation.
Green candidate Amita Kuttner and People’s Party of Canada candidate Rocky Dong finished fourth and fifth in the race, respectively.
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