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By-election Results

© David Newman

Seven by-elections took place across the country, six of them in usually Liberal ridings. The other was a sure win for new Canadian Alliance leader Stephen Harper, as both the Liberal Party and the Progressive Conservative Party did not run a candidate.

It was not expected but the Liberals lost two seats, one going to the New Democratic Party's Brian Masse in Windsor-West (Ontario) and the other going to Progressive Conservative Rex Barnes in Gander-Grand Falls (Newfoundland). In the 2000 general election former Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Herb Gray won the Windsor-West Riding. The way he was treated in regard to his departure from Parliament may have affected the Liberal vote, giving the NDP an edge in a riding where the NDP came third in 2000. In the previous election the Gander-Grand Falls riding, Liberal George Baker won easily with 55% of the vote. However it may have been that it was George Baker and not the Liberal Party, as a similar claim to Herb Gray's case can be made.

It's like the Grits and Tories didn't even bother trying to win Calgary-Southwest. The riding is former Reform leader Preston Manning's and present Alliance leader Stephen Harper won the Alberta riding with 71% of the vote, the NDP leading the slim opposition to the Alliance in the riding with 20%.

Raymond Simard won the Manitoba riding of Saint-Boniface, vacated by Ronald J. Duhamel. In Alfonso Gagliano's former riding Saint Leonard-Saint Michel, the Liberals maintained their strength in the Quebec riding, destroying opposition with 83% of the vote, giving Massimo Pacetti a seat in Parliament. In another Quebec riding Liza Frulla also easily won her seat way ahead of Bloc Quebecois Sonia Goulet. In Newfoundland and Labrador, John Efford easily won former Industry Minister Brian Tobin's Bonavista-Trinity-Conception seat with little opposition.

The Alliance and the Tories continue to split the Right Wing vote, although in most cases in these ridings, it would hardly make a difference, as even ridings where the winner won with less than 50%, such as Raymond Simard (42%) in Saint-Boniface, the Right united would only have 39%. It is interesting to note that while in the Western Provinces the Alliance leads over the Conservatives, the Right Wing vote in Newfoundland is clearly mainly Tory.

These by-elections have weakened the Liberals by only two seats yet may make the Liberals nervous as the Windsor and Gander ridings have been Liberal Seats for decades (Windsor-West was Liberal for 40 years).