The Liberal party took every key district they needed for victory Monday night — and then some.
After a narrow victory in Crapaud-Hazel Grove in 2003, Liberal Carolyn Bertram won big in Rustico-Emerald in 2007, with almost 60 per cent of the vote.
Under the redrawing of the map, she was in a district that included only about half of her old one. It was an area where the Progressive Conservatives won more votes in the last election.
Carolyn Bertram easily won back her seat in the legislature.
(CBC)
Bertram is seen as a rising Liberal star, and a likely cabinet candidate in a Liberal government. She was facing a well-known opponent in PC candidate Dave Blacquiere, who made a name for himself as provincial fire marshal, and also served as chair of the community council in North Rustico, the largest urban centre in the district.
Interim Green party leader Sharon Labchuk, who said before the election she did not expect her party to win any seats, polled six per cent in this district.
Few Tory seats came in east
The eastern section of the province has long been a Progressive Conservative stronghold, and the Tories were looking for another sweep of this area to ensure a return of a Pat Binns government. The Tories won just four of the six, and it turned out that was all they were able to manage in the whole province.
Andy Mooney, who has represented the district of Souris-Elmira since Binns came to power in 1996, was unable to hang on, faced with the hot issue of the closure of the emergency department at the Souris Hospital. Liberal challenger Allan Campbell took the district with just over 50 per cent of the vote.
Vernon River-Stratford also fell to the Liberals. This district is best described as entirely new, taking in parts of three previous districts. Liberal newcomer Alan McIsaac took it with 48 per cent of the vote.
Whither Charlottetown?
Even Health Minister Chester Gillan could not hold a seat in Charlottetown for the Tories, losing badly to Liberal Robert Mitchell, who pulled 55 per cent of the vote.
Jason Lee was another disappointment for the Progressive Conservatives. The son of former premier Jim Lee lost to Liberal MLA Richard Brown by a 20 per cent margin in Charlottetown-Victoria Park. NDP Leader Dean Constable gathered seven per cent of the vote.
Kathleen Casey defeated former cabinet minister Wes MacAleer.
(CBC)
In a race of newcomers in Charlottetown-Parkdale, PC Dr. Mike Molyneaux fell to Liberal candidate Doug Currie, a well-known principal of Birchwood Intermediate School who has been active coaching hockey in the province.
In Charlottetown-Lewis Point, Wes MacAleer fell to former city councillor Kathleen Casey. MacAleer is a former cabinet minister. Casey's previous political experience includes a narrow loss in the race for Charlottetown mayor in 2000.
Winning in the west
The western area of the province was a crucial health-care battleground. The shortage of doctors in West Prince has been severe at times.
Binns suggested a new hospital — amalgamating the ones in O'Leary and Alberton — would help bring new doctors to the area. Ghiz countered with a proposal to increase the recruitment budget for doctors, and to take 30 months to give the existing hospitals a chance.
The west appears to have gone with the Ghiz proposal. Even Transportation and Public Works Minister Gail Shea was unable to hold on to Tignish-Palmer Road.
P.E.I. Votes 2007 Headlines »
- P.E.I. tide paints province Liberal red
- P.E.I.'s Liberal party cruised to a surprisingly easy victory in Monday's provincial election, crushing the governing Progressive Conservatives and reversing the seat count from the previous legislative session.
- Hasty promises, desire for change sank P.E.I. Tories
- Pat Binns and his Progressive Conservatives went down to defeat in Monday's Prince Edward Island election, at least in part because of how two campaign promises fed into Islanders' growing appetite for change.
- Liberal wave fails to flood Eastern P.E.I.
- Progressive Conservative candidates picked up all of their handful of successes in the eastern part of Prince Edward Island on Monday, as Liberals swept the rest of the province.
- Liberals sweep crucial districts
- The Liberal party took every key district they needed for victory Monday night, and then some.
- 6 ministers defeated as P.E.I. cabinet trounced
- Six of Pat Binns's cabinet ministers fell and two were re-elected as P.E.I. voters bounced the Progressive Conservative government out of office Monday night.
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