Grande Prairie-Mackenzie MP criticizes O'Toole for poor Conservative showing
Chris Warkentin will keep his parliamentary seat in Ottawa for the Grande Prairie-Mackenzie riding but his party took a hit locally and federally.
Warkentin received 35,106 votes Monday night, followed by 6,200 for NDP Jennifer Villebrun, 5,263 for PPC Shawn McLean, 2,314 for Liberal Dan Campbell, 2,092 for Maverick Ambrose Ralph and 318 for Rhino Donovan Eckstrom.
Still, Warkentin's share of votes sits at 68.4 per cent*. In 2019, he was re-elected with 84 per cent of the vote in this riding.
Justin Trudeau - despite being widely criticized for calling the $600M early election, will head up a minority government. His Liberal party received 158 seats. The Conservative party has 119, the Bloc Quebecois 34, the NDP with 25, and the Green party with two.
Warkentin told Town & Country News election night the Conservative party missed a win.
“It was when our party leader started to waffle on some of the policies that we had brought forward and hadn't been clear that I believe that Canadians became uncertain and unwilling to continue to look to our party as an alternative,” said Warkentin. “I believe that that was the beginning of polls shifting back in favour of the Liberals.”
Warkentin said that Conservative party members would have an opportunity to voice their concerns and make decisions about the party leader Erin O'Toole.
He said he's heard from other members they are concerned and believe that changes need to be made.
Warkentin said that the Liberals lost significant support by calling the election in the middle of the fourth wave of COVID, Alberta farms were dealing with drought conditions and British Columbia was facing “unprecedented forest fires.”
Warkentin doesn't believe that this new government will last long.
“Justin Trudeau has promised during this campaign that if he was only given a minority that he would plunge Canadians back into an election within 18 months, and I don't expect that this will be a long-term government.”
Moving forward, his priorities are supporting the ag sector in northwestern Alberta.
“We've heard from farmers in most communities throughout the Peace that have faced one of the most difficult harvest seasons that they can remember.
“I will be advocating for the federal government to step up to support the provincial government to see that the supports are in place to help many of the farm families.”
He also said that his support for the energy sector would continue with advocating for building more infrastructure and stable regulations needed in the industry.
“We have a very supportive provincial government, but we have a federal government that has continually moved the goalposts when it comes to the development of the energy sector here in Alberta.”
For now, he is happy to serve the people of the Grande Prairie-Mackenzie riding.
“Tonight, I am elected by those who voted for me, but tomorrow I serve every single constituent that lives in the Peace Country.”
The Grande Prairie-Mackenzie riding had a voter turnout of 61.84 per cent.
Nationally, voter turnout sat at 58.8 per cent.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
BREAKING Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
'It could be catastrophic': Woman says natural supplement contained hidden painkiller drug
A Manitoba woman thought she found a miracle natural supplement, but said a hidden ingredient wreaked havoc on her health.
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
The Body Shop Canada explores sale as demand outpaces inventory: court filing
The Body Shop Canada is exploring a sale as it struggles to get its hands on enough inventory to keep up with "robust" sales after announcing it would file for creditor protection and close 33 stores.
Vicious attack on a dog ends with charges for northern Ont. suspect
Police in Sault Ste. Marie charged a 22-year-old man with animal cruelty following an attack on a dog Thursday morning.
On federal budget, Macklem says 'fiscal track has not changed significantly'
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem says Canada's fiscal position has 'not changed significantly' following the release of the federal government's budget.