BC NDP wins two Liberal bastions in by-elections

The newly elected NDP MLA for Port Moody-Coquitlam, Joe Trasolini, centre, celebrates his victory surrounded by colleagues, supporters and family in Port Moody, B.C. on April 19, 2012.

The Globe and Mail:

The NDP have swept to a decisive victory in both British Columbia by-elections – including a landslide win in an area where the party has not won since provincial elections began more than a century ago.

The results – particularly in Chilliwack-Hope, an area where a left-wing party has never won – are what the NDP hoped for and the B.C. Liberals had feared. A split in the right-of-centre vote tore down what had been two Liberal bastions, with the NDP scoring clear wins in both.

In Port Moody-Coquitlam, former Port Moody mayor Joe Trasolini scored an outright majority, with 54 per cent of the vote, with all polls reporting; B.C. Liberal Dennis Marsden trailed with 30 per cent; B.C. Conservative Christine Clarke had 15 per cent.

In Chilliwack-Hope, the NDP margin of victory was narrower, with Gwen O’Mahony scoring 41 per cent, with all polls reporting. B.C. Liberal Laurie Throness received 31 per cent; B.C. Conservative John Martin, 25 per cent.

In a statement released by her office, Premier Christy Clark said the results showed a split of the right-of-centre vote among her B.C. Liberals and the B.C. Conservatives. “It’s never been clearer that only a unified free enterprise coalition can defeat the NDP,” she said in the statement.

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