Mungall back on top in Nelson/Creston, Liberals back on top in BC
By Nelson Daily Staff
By Suzy Hamilton and Bruce Fuhr, The Nelson Daily
NDP incumbent Michelle Mungall may have won the battle in Nelson/Creston, but Christy Clark’s Liberals won the war in B.C.
The B.C. Liberals shocked everyone by returning to power for a fourth consecutive term with a majority government following Tuesday’s General Election.
“Well that was easy,” a smiling Liberal leader Christy Clark told a packed house of supporters in Vancouver during her victory speech.
Unofficial numbers have the Liberal party winning 50 seats to gain a majority in the Legislature.
The NDP, everyone’s odd-on favourite to unseat the Liberals heading into the election, finished second with 33 seats.
Andrew Weaver broke through in Oak Bay/Gordon Head as the first Green Party rep to be elected to the Legistlature while Vicki Huntington was re-elected in the riding of Delta South as the lone Independent in Victoria.
Despite getting returned to Victoria for a second term, the current NDP critic for Advanced Education, Youth and Labour Market Development, couldn’t hold back the tears as she thanked her campaign team at her victory party Tuesday night at the Hume Hotel.
“They gave their blood, sweat and tears,” she told a cheering audience. “We’ve got quite a road ahead of us.
“When you step forward, that’s what makes democracy work. I want to thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
Mungall the Nelson/Creston riding by whopping 50.68 percent of the popular vote — 7576 for Mungall compared to 4348 for Liberal candidate Greg Garbula and 3133 for Sjeng Derkx of the Green Party.
“It will be interesting,” she commented on the Green Party’s Andrew Weaver winning in Oak Bay.
“There’s not much he can do to influence policy. His voice will not be able to keep Jumbo wild, to stop Enbridge. That’s going to be an NDP voice.”
And what happened to that majority win by the NDP Mungall was asked?
“At the end of the day, we just don’t know,” she replied.
Green Party candidate Sjeng Derkx was clearly pumped with Weaver’s win.
“This is my proudest moment,” he said. “We got a Green foot in the door. Next time we’re going to come back twice as strong.”
His assessment of the upset Liberal victory: “The friggin’ NDP did it to themselves again.”
Even coming in third, the Green’s 20.81 percent showing in Nelson Creston riding was cause to celebrate as the mood was upbeat at the campaign wrap up at the Seed.
But it was fairly quiet at the Liberals’ gathering at the New Grand Hotel. Liberal candidate Greg Garbula was in a pensive mood. “You have nobody to blame but yourself if you don’t get out to vote.”
Garbula, a hotel and restaurant businessman said he ran because “he was willing to stand up.”
“I was only interested in the betterment of the people,” he said.
Clearly pleased that the Liberals would form the next government Garbula said, “The people of the province have woken up.”
Those same people may need a recount to officially crown Clark as the new premier.
At press time NDP David Eby held a slim lead over the current Premier Clark by the narrowest of margins.
It appears Advance Voting will determine if Premier Clark can hold on the Vancouver-Point Grey seat.
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