Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberals are downplaying the fact they are heading into the Oct. 9 election with an incomplete slate of candidates.
"When I went to bed on Friday night, I fully expected a particular Liberal candidate to be going on the ballot on Saturday morning," said Rex Gibbons, chair of the Liberal campaign, referring to a vacancy in Placentia-St. Mary's district.
"Unfortunately, that particular person got up on Saturday morning and said, 'I can't do it.'"
Gibbons, an energy minister in the Clyde Wells government, filled a separate vacancy himself, by stepping forward on Saturday morning after another would-be candidate — this time in St. John's South — withdrew.
"We expected to have another candidate in that district," Gibbons said Monday.
"When our candidate did not come forward on Saturday and [instead said], 'Can't do it, I can't do it,' I said, 'OK, here she goes.'"
Campaigning Monday in Bay Roberts, Liberal Leader Gerry Reid said the unexpected vacancy in Placentia-St. Mary's will not set his campaign back.
"Obviously I'm concerned — we haven't been without a [full] slate in recent times," he said. "It's just that it's unfortunate what happened Saturday."
The Liberals held 11 of the house of assembly's 48 seats when the last session was dissolved in September.
However, only six incumbent Liberals are running, and the soaring popularity of Danny Williams and the PCs in the polls has made recruitment difficult, Gibbons said.
"Forty-two new candidates is a lot of candidates to find," Gibbons said.
"It's a lot more difficult to find candidates when you're in opposition … When you're in government, everyone wants to run for you," Gibbons said. "So, we did have a bigger challenge."
Related
| Party | Elected | Leading | Total | Vote Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| PC | 43 | 0 | 43 | 69.56% |
| LIB | 3 | 0 | 3 | 21.98% |
| NDP | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8.21% |
| OTH | 0 | 0 | 0 | .25% |
| Last Update:October 9, 10:58:12 PM NDT | ||||
| Unofficial results were updated at the time shown. For more recent results, visit Elections NL. The CBC does not endorse and is not responsible for the content of external sites. External links will open in a new window. |
NL Votes 2007 »
- Williams faces daunting task of managing expectations
- Handed one of the most commanding mandates in Newfoundland and Labrador's history, Premier Danny Williams says he expects to face a cascade of requests for help during his second term.
- Former minister calls Liberal collapse 'catastrophic'
- Able to put their combined caucuses around a single card table, Newfoundland and Labrador's opposition parties are grappling with what life will be like in the shadow of a massive Tory majority.
- Efford keeping keen eye on Liberal leadership
- Former cabinet minister John Efford didn't hesitate Wednesday to indicate he is more than interested in taking over the reins of Newfoundland and Labrador's bedraggled Liberals.
- Williams leads Tory landslide in N.L.
- Danny Williams and his Progressive Conservatives were swept back into office Tuesday night by a massive lead over their political opponents.
- Heartbreak for Liberals as Grit vote collapses
- Newfoundland and Labrador's Liberals were overwhelmed Tuesday night, as a Tory wave of support claimed districts that had long been in the Grit camp.