Vancouver was awash in a sea of red Monday, as local voters overwhelmingly threw their support behind Justin Trudeau’s Liberals, much as they did across the country.
Of Vancouver’s six seats in the House of Commons, four went to the Liberals, up from two after the 2011 election, and shutting out Stephen Harper’s Conservatives.
In the newly-formed riding of Vancouver Granville, First Nations leader and lawyer Jody Wilson-Raybould won the seat for the Liberals, while Hedy Fry won her eighth consecutive term as MP for Vancouver Centre.
Liberal incumbent Joyce Murray was re-elected in Vancouver Quadra, while former Vancouver police officer and lieutenant-colonel in the Canadian Armed Forces Harjit Sajjan defeated Conservative incumbent Wai Young in Vancouver South in a tightly contested race.
The NDP held on to their two Vancouver seats, with former MLA Jenny Kwan replacing retired MP Libby Davies in Vancouver East, while Don Davies was re-elected in Vancouver Kingsway.
Perhaps no one was more pleased with the result than Vancouver mayor Gregor Robertson, who said he looks forward to working with the former West Point Grey Academy teacher on a number of city-related issues.
“I want to congratulate prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau on his victory tonight after a hard-fought campaign that inspired Canadians with a clear vision for change and a progressive plan to meet our biggest challenges, particularly in cities,” Robertson said. “At this pivotal moment in our politics, I look forward to working closely with the new Liberal government on priorities such as building the Broadway subway, investing in new affordable housing, rising to the urgent challenge of climate change and supporting Vancouver’s leading edge economic growth.”
Province-wide, the Liberals picked up 17 seats – up from just two in 2011 – ensuring them a majority in the House of Commons.
