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Ghiz kid takes over

If the province of P.E.I. had a campaign slogan it would be of the "go big or go home" genre. From Liberal landslides to Tory sweeps, P.E.I. elections have been showy and dramatic changings of the guard. But despite the spectacular overthrows, campaigns have been conducted as a sport of etiquette. CBC has covered the continuing electoral spectacle as Islanders waffled between the Liberal and Tory tides, confronted issues of party patronage, and elected the first woman and non-European premiers in Canada.

Once again, Prince Edward Island's voters opt for a total reversal in the legislature, giving the reigns back to the Liberals and a member of the Ghiz family. With four-seats on the opposition bench Liberal leader Robert Ghiz, son of former Liberal Premier Joe Ghiz, leads the charge for change. His party bags a solid 23-seat majority, up from just four seats in opposition. For outgoing Progressive Conservative Premier Pat Binns, it's a mirror image: his 23-seat majority becomes four seats as the Official Opposition. 
• Robert Ghiz was just 29 when he was tapped for Liberal leader in 2003. At 33, he became the youngest serving premier, and the second youngest in Canadian history. His father, Joe Ghiz, served as premier from 1986 to 1993, but did not live to see his son take on the mantle. He passed away in 1996.

• First elected premier in 1996, popular Progressive Conservative leader Pat Binns served three full terms and was one of the four PCs re-elected in 2007. However, on election night there were hints that he might not stay for his full term.

• Although both the NDP and the Green Party were shut out of the seat tally, the Greens overtook the NDP in the race for third place by capturing three per cent of the vote.

• Voters turned out in droves again in this election, with 83.4 per cent of islanders casting a ballot. The Liberal majority was achieved with 53 per cent of the popular vote, while the Tories 41 per cent yielded only four seats. A plebiscite held in 2005 rejected a motion to shift the island's electoral system to proportional representation. 
Medium: Television Program: The National Broadcast Date: May 28, 2007 Guest(s): Pat Binns, Robert Ghiz Host: Peter Mansbridge Reporter: Tom Murphy Duration: 2:13

Last updated: May 7, 2012

Page consulted on April 3, 2013

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