Progressive Conservatives surge to surprise majority win in Nova Scotia election

Liberal Leader Iain Rankin concedes election result

Liberal Leader Iain Rankin conceded as Progressive Conservatives surged to victory. 1:52

Houston said the result shows voters pay attention when they’re offered real solutions to real problems. He thanked voters for giving him and the party their support and pledged to work every day to keep it.

“I may be the one on the stage, but it’s Nova Scotians — Nova Scotians, you are the ones that spoke loud and clear in this election,” he said.

“For the next four years — and beyond — I will promise you this: I will give you everything I have to fix health care. I will give you everything I have to make this a better province. It won’t happen overnight and it will cost money, but if we work together we can get the job done.”

Tories took early lead

The Tories will return to power for the first time since 2009 and deny the Liberals a third consecutive win. The party jumped out to early leads in many seats after polls closed, including seats they previously held but also many they targeted.

That includes Guysborough-Tracadie, where former radio reporter Greg Morrow knocked off two-term Liberal cabinet minister Lloyd Hines. Morrow said his team hit as many doors as possible in their quest to knock off the political veteran.

“We worked hard to get to all the back roads and side roads of the riding. Sometimes in elections they say you don’t really win an election — the incumbent loses. But I just feel like that’s a disservice to the amount of work that the team here put in.”

Morrow wasn’t the only Tory newcomer to defeat a sitting cabinet minister.

Michelle Thompson defeated Randy Delorey, the justice minister, and Susan Corkum-Greek bested Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, the culture minister. Kent Smith, meanwhile, knocked off Liberal speaker of the House Kevin Murphy.

Focus on health care pays off

For Houston, the result is vindication of the party’s almost single-minded focus on health care for the last 31 days. He repeatedly targeted the Liberal record of the last eight years, pointing to a growing wait list for family doctors, ambulance delays and a lack of long-term care beds.

Colton Leblanc was the first candidate CBC News projected to win. The PC candidate was running for re-election in Argyle.

The former paramedic said it was clear on the doorsteps that health care was the top issue of the campaign.Liberal Leader Iain Rankin conceded as Progressive Conservatives surged to victory. 1:52

Houston said the result shows voters pay attention when they’re offered real solutions to real problems. He thanked voters for giving him and the party their support and pledged to work every day to keep it.

“I may be the one on the stage, but it’s Nova Scotians — Nova Scotians, you are the ones that spoke loud and clear in this election,” he said.

“For the next four years — and beyond — I will promise you this: I will give you everything I have to fix health care. I will give you everything I have to make this a better province. It won’t happen overnight and it will cost money, but if we work together we can get the job done.”

Tories took early lead

The Tories will return to power for the first time since 2009 and deny the Liberals a third consecutive win. The party jumped out to early leads in many seats after polls closed, including seats they previously held but also many they targeted.

That includes Guysborough-Tracadie, where former radio reporter Greg Morrow knocked off two-term Liberal cabinet minister Lloyd Hines. Morrow said his team hit as many doors as possible in their quest to knock off the political veteran.

“We worked hard to get to all the back roads and side roads of the riding. Sometimes in elections they say you don’t really win an election — the incumbent loses. But I just feel like that’s a disservice to the amount of work that the team here put in.”

Morrow wasn’t the only Tory newcomer to defeat a sitting cabinet minister.

Michelle Thompson defeated Randy Delorey, the justice minister, and Susan Corkum-Greek bested Suzanne Lohnes-Croft, the culture minister. Kent Smith, meanwhile, knocked off Liberal speaker of the House Kevin Murphy.

Focus on health care pays off

For Houston, the result is vindication of the party’s almost single-minded focus on health care for the last 31 days. He repeatedly targeted the Liberal record of the last eight years, pointing to a growing wait list for family doctors, ambulance delays and a lack of long-term care beds.

Colton Leblanc was the first candidate CBC News projected to win. The PC candidate was running for re-election in Argyle.

The former paramedic said it was clear on the doorsteps that health care was the top issue of the campaign.

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“Over the expansiveness of the mission, we —my team —have gone more than 9,000 kilometres and what was obvious to me was the pandemic didn’t overcome our region,” he said, in what was perhaps his most loosened up discourse of the mission.

“From various perspectives it made us more grounded, smarter and more keen, ready to handle anything and succeed.”

Rankin commended what medical services laborers have done for the region during the pandemic and recognized the cost it’s taken on them and their families. He said he was glad for individuals who represented the party —the most assorted record in Nova Scotia Liberal Party history —and said he had some good times during the mission.

“I actually wouldn’t transform anything,” he said.

“The inspiration in our campaign —I actually have faith in sure governmental issues, regardless occurs. I will in any case keep on putting stock in you and in Nova Scotians and in what we can truly do.”

Brendan Maguire, who CBC News announced was re-chose for the Liberals in Halifax Atlantic, said he could feel the undeniable trends as he went through different locale during the mission.

Maguire backed Rankin in last February’s initiative challenge. He said he doesn’t think the general population became acquainted with his companion the manner in which he knows him.

“He’s presumably perhaps the most compassionate and sharpest individuals I’ve at any point met,” Maguire disclosed to CBC News.

“Individuals didn’t see that and that is shocking in light of the fact that this is an individual who might have been extraordinary for the region. Be that as it may, clearly, it’s the desire of individuals, and individuals have spoken.”

He promoted the arrangement Rankin haggled with the national government in front of the political race for reasonable kid care, just as his endeavors to make the climate to a greater degree a strategy conversation inside the public authority.

Maguire said he’s confident Houston and his group will be effective as an administration since, supposing that they are, it implies the region will be fruitful.