Calgary-Greenway byelection sends message about economy, says NDP
原始发布日期： 2016-03-23 发布者：李方字变大 字变小
NDP candidate Roop Rai conceded to PC's Prab Gill early, with roughly 10 polls still to report Tuesday night NDP candidate Roop Rai conceded early on Tuesday night, with roughly 10 of 67 polls still left to report. (Mike Symington CBC) After a disappointing fourth-place finish in the Calgary-Greenway byelection, the NDP says it's heard the message from voters loud and clear. NDP candidate Roop Rai captured roughly one-fifth of the popular vote in Tuesday's byelection, roughly eight per cent behind PC winner Prab Gill, and delivered an early concession speech. Health minister Sarah Hoffman said the economic downturn and high unemployment played a large part in the final tally. "Clearly, people wanted to send a message about the economy and jobs, and I've heard them and I know our premier and our party's heard them," said Health Minister Sarah Hoffman. This is the unofficial count for the top four candidates:
Loss not crucial, says pollsterAccording to independent pollster Janet Brown, sitting governments typically do not fare well in byelections, especially in a downturn."I think what they need to hear from voters is that voters are very concerned about the economy," Brown said. She believes the NDP likely lost some of its votes to a surge in Liberal support. She also said the low voter turnout of roughly 30 per cent suggests voters neither strongly approve or disapprove of any single party's platform or policies. "I think people stay home when they don't really have a firm desire that one party would do a better job over the others." Brown does not consider this a crucial loss for the NDP, who still have three years until the next provincial election. 'Tremendous progress' for the WildroseThe Wildrose Party said the tight race was evidence of the party's "tremendous progress" in the riding, as compared to one year ago when Toor placed third with 21 per cent of the popular vote."In a riding we lost by thousands just last May, we closed the gap to hundreds last night," the release said. Mount Royal University political scientist Duane Bratt said the close results could short circuit any talk of uniting the PC's and the Wildrose. "I think if the NDP had won it, that would have moved the two parties together," he said. "But now I think you have two separate parties, one that's overtly conservative and one that's got a conservative wing and a progressive wing. And I think they're going to keep fighting it out." With files from Dave Gilson |