North Island-Powell River votes orange, electing Rachel Blaney

NDP's Rachel Blaney maintains her early lead in Island's largest riding

Win ÒbittersweetÓ for NDPÕs Rachel Blaney.

Orange squeezed through to victory in the north Island on Monday.

New Democrat Rachel Blaney, 41, scored a win over Conservative Laura Smith in the sprawling new riding of North Island-Powell River — considered a key battleground on the Island.

“It is a little bittersweet,” Blaney said of her win.

“I’m really excited for the honour and privilege of representing the North Island-Powell River. I wished for a better outcome [nationally], but I’m excited to get to Ottawa and do the work that I need to do for this riding.”

Prior to redistribution, much of the riding was held by Conservative John Duncan. Duncan, who represented the area for much of the past 25 years, opted to run in the new riding of Courtenay-Alberni, where he was defeated by New Democrat Gord Johns.

Blaney, a Campbell River resident who is executive director of the Immigrant Welcome Centre, took an early lead and never looked back as the bulk of the rest of the vote split between the Liberal and Conservative candidates.

With about 40 per cent of polls reporting, Blaney had about 40 per cent of the vote compared to about 26.2 per cent for Smith, who had been Duncan’s senior policy adviser since 2008. Close on Smith’s heels was Liberal Peter Schwarzhoff, who took about 24 per cent. Green Candidate Brenda Sayers, of Comox, had about nine per cent.

Blaney said her top priority “is to make sure the NDP values are heard loud and clear in Ottawa.

“For this riding, we want to make sure we see important things like increasing some of those good-paying jobs and making sure we’re protecting the environment.”

The new riding saw a visit from Prime Minister Stephen Harper early in the campaign with a promise of $15 million for restoring and enhancing salmon habitat.

North Island-Powell River is the largest of Vancouver Island’s seven ridings, encompassing 57,911 square kilometres.

The new riding includes the area from Comox north, with the exception of Courtenay. It takes in the regional districts of Mount Waddington and Strathcona, most of the Powell River Regional District, Texada Island and part of the Central Coast Regional District.

[email protected]