The voters of West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country bucked the national trend Monday night, sending a Liberal to Ottawa to face a Conservative minority government.
Blair Wilson was declared the winner in the massive riding, which spans West Vancouver, the Sunshine Coast, Powell River, Squamish and Whistler, by Canadian Press at 10:15 p.m., an hour after Prime Minister Paul Martin conceded defeat to Conservative leader Stephen Harper.
With all 237 polls reporting, Wilson had 23,867 votes - 37.5% of all votes cast and nearly 1,000 more than Conservative candidate John Weston at 22,881 (36.0%). NDP candidate Judith Wilson was a distant third with 12,766 votes (20.1%), while Green Silvaine Zimmermann placed fourth with 3,966 votes (6.2%). Marxist-Leninist Anne Jamieson garnered 155 votes (0.2%).
Wilson won the riding in his second attempt in two years after losing narrowly to Conservative MP John Reynolds in June 2004. Reynolds announced his retirement from politics in 2005 and Weston won the nomination earlier this year.
Check here for more detailed results and reactions from the winning and losing candidates.
PRELIMINARY RESULTS for West Vancouver-Sunshine Coast-Sea to Sky Country:
237 polls of 237 reporting
Blair Wilson (Lib) 23,867 (37.5%)
John Weston (CPC): 22,881 (36.0%)
Judith Wilson (NDP) 12,766 (20.1%)
Silvaine Zimmermann (Grn) 3,966 (6.2%)
Anne Jamieson (M-L): 155 (0.2%)
