Lakeland residents sent a resounding message to the crumbling PC party during last week's provincial election, turning out in full force to ditch the struggling association, ending almost 20-years of conservative dominance in the Lakeland.
With a record 11,806 voters hitting the polls, it was Wildrose candidate Scott Cyr who made it through to the other side, defeating fellow running mates Rob Fox, Josalyne Head and Craig Copeland in the race to represent the Bonnyville – Cold Lake constituency.
“Well, it's certainly a great feeling,” Cyr told the Nouvelle moments after it was confirmed he had won. “This has been a two-year journey I've traveled down. I've had a lot of support from my family, friends and now the people of this riding. I'm excited – we're starting to see some real change in our province and I look forward to being a part of that change.”
Cyr received a staggering 5,453 votes (46 per cent) in the election, while his nearest competitor – the PC's Craig Copeland – came out with 3,594.
The big shock of the night locally was NDP candidate Josalyne Head. Despite not showing her face in the riding through the entirety of the race, the youngster, who studies anthropology at Grant MacEwan University in Edmonton, came out with 2,136 votes.
Alberta Party representative Rob Fox came in last with 623 votes.
With many in the region expecting a tight race between Cyr and Copeland, it was perhaps a surprise to see the local Wildrose candidate coming out with a large majority of the public vote. While dominating the western parts of the constituency, with communities such as LaCorey, Glendon and large portions of Bonnyville giving the Wildrose the thumbs up, Cyr also received a good number of votes in Cold Lake and surrounding areas, putting an end to Copeland's hopes of jumping from municipal to provincial politics.
Speaking to the Nouvelle shortly after the results were made public, Copeland admitted he was disappointed to lose out in the election, maintaining his belief that he was the best candidate to represent the region in Legislature.
“It's disappointing (to lose out), but we always knew it was going to be a close race between myself and Scott,” Copeland said. “The big surprise was the NDP. I didn't expect so many people to vote NDP in a riding like that and that really was the difference in this election locally.”
He added, “It's especially difficult (to take) considering I was the only one (in the race) actually talking about our region. I was the only one talking about the local issues and that still cost me.”
While he was obviously dejected by the result, Copeland extended his congratulations to Cyr for winning what he described as a “respectful and classy” election, while confirming he himself would now resume his duties as Mayor of Cold Lake.
“At the end of the day, the Wildrose party did really well in our riding, so hats off to Scott and his team (for running a good campaign). I congratulate him and wish him all the best as MLA,” Copeland said. “As far as the future goes (for me), I knew I was winning in this election either way. Either I would go on to become the MLA, or I would go back to being Mayor of Cold Lake. There's no feeling of disappointment there… I'm happy to be Mayor and I'll look to continue the good work we as a council (have done in the city) over the past few years.”
Having spent much of the past few months supporting and advocating for Cyr, Bonnyville Mayor Gene Sobolewski and MD of Bonnyville Reeve Ed Rondeau and declared themselves delighted with the result.
“I'm very happy that Scott is going to be our MLA and I'm glad we're going to have some fresh voicing in the Legislature,” Sobolewski said. “Scott is an individual that has demonstrated he is willing to work with our municipality and with the MD. He shares similar sorts of ideas that we do.”
Rondeau said he was happy to see Cyr come out on top in the local constituency, stating there was a “definite need of change” across the province and in this riding following what he perceived as “too many years of PC entitlement.”
“I think this is exciting times for us as a region – it's great because I think the people both needed and wanted a change and now the people have spoken,” Rondeau said. “Scott will be a great ambassador for this riding and I feel he will represent our needs very well (in the Legislature).”
Former Mayor of Bonnyville Ernie Isley has made no secrets of his dislike for the current PC regime and, as a longtime Wildrose supporter, he said he couldn't be happier to see a Wildrose member represent the Bonnyville – Cold Lake constituency in Edmonton.
“(As a former PC MLA), I spent 20 years trying to build up the PC party and now the last six attempting to bury it – I think, with these results, we finally achieved the second goal,” Isley said.
He added, “In Scott, I think we have a very sincere man, a very honest man and I believe he will listen and learn to push a little bit over the next little while. I think he's got to be a bit more aggressive, but I'm confident (he will be a good representative for the Bonnyville – Cold Lake region.).
The changing of the guard wasn't only reserved for the Bonnyville – Cold Lake region as voters across the province came out in unison to end 44-years of PC dominance in Alberta, bringing down a seemingly out-of-favour, dilapidated dynasty in favour of the ‘orange crush' of Rachel Notley and the NDP party.
With unofficial voter turnout registered at just over 58 per cent, millions of Albertans made their voice heard as they turned an overwhelming 72-seat PC majority into a 53-seat NDP leadership. With the election coming hot on the heels of a controversial 2015 budget and with now former Premier Jim Prentice, who stepped down as leader of the PCs and vacated his reclaimed seat immediately following the election, making several questionable comments in recent times, the PCs dropped a staggering 62-seats to now hold just ten – not even enough to service as Alberta's official opposition.
That title will now go to a Wildrose party many believed to be on the verge of collapse following former leader Danielle Smith's decision to cross the floor alongside eight fellow MLAs in December. In speaking to Cyr, he's incredibly excited to start working alongside his new colleagues to help make Alberta a better home for everybody.
“I'm really looking forward to the future,” Cyr said. “In Brian Jean we have an experienced, determined leader who will really press home the needs of Albertans, so the NDP party is going to have a wicked Wildrose opposition really fast. We'll be holding them to account and doing what an opposition needs to do to ensure a bright future for all Albertans.”
