Abbotsford MP Ed Fast easily held onto his riding, returning to Ottawa as part of a “strong, stable, Conservative, majority, government,” as he said in his acceptance speech Monday night.
“This is an historic night. Canadians have spoken, and they have spoken clearly,” he told an enthusiastic crowd of about 100 Conservative faithful at the campaign headquarters on South Fraser Way.
“They gave us the majority we asked for.”
The Conservatives were leading or declared in 166 ridings – a considerable cushion over the 155 needed to form a majority government.
The NDP’s orange wave swept through Quebec, washing away all but four of the Bloc Quebecois’ former 47 seats, and leaving the Liberals with just 35 of their 77. Jack Layton’s NDP improved to official opposition status, going from 36 seats to 102, and the Green party gained its first seat in Parliament.
Fast said local NDP candidate David Murray had warned about the orange wave.
“It appears that wave crested well before it hit Abbotsford,” joked Fast.
During his speech, a cheer went up from the crowd when TV news reported that Liberal leader Michael Ignatieff had lost his seat.
“Let’s not gloat,” said Fast, noting Ignatieff had served his country, and adding “let’s give him the respect he deserves.”
Fast thanked his wife Annette and family, mentor George Ferguson, God, his key volunteers and even his opponents.
“I want to thank you for running a clean but vigorous campaign,” he said.
With 260 of the 278 polls reported, Fast had 65 per cent of the vote, Murray 20 per cent, Liberal Madeleine Hardin 10 per cent and the Green Party’s Daniel Bryce at four.
Elections Canada reported that 55 per cent of the riding’s registered voters had turned out to cast a ballot.
Murray said his campaign had laid a foundation for future NDP campaigns in Abbotsford, noting that the party was headed toward its best campaign ever in the riding.
“It’s a great day to be a New Democrat in this country,” he said.
In Pitt Meadows-Maple Ridge-Mission, Conservative incumbent Randy Kamp was declared the winner in that riding, with 55 per cent of the vote, compared to 35 to the NDP opponent.
| Green Party | Daniel Bryce | 2,138 | 4.3 |  |
| Conservative | Ed Fast | 32,293 | 64.8 | |
| Liberal | Madeleine Hardin | 5,000 | 10.0 | |
| Marxist-Leninist | David MacKay | 286 | 0.6 | |
| NDP-New Democratic Party | David Alan Murray | 10,089 | 20.3 | |
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Total number of valid votes:
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49,806 |
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