NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
www.pentictonwesternnews.com
2
news
Friends and family mourn motorcyclist killed on Eastside Road
VOL. 47 ISSUE 39
11
RCMP Musical Ride will visit Penticton in July
12 page
WEDNESDAY, MAY 15, 2013
entertainment Art gallery exhibition
features Meadowlark Festival
14
sports Longest running soccer tourney returns to Penticton
DOWN TO THE WIRE
NEWS PENTICTON WESTERN
Dan Ashton wins a nail-biter to join a Liberal majority government Steve Kidd
Western News Staff
Dan Ashton started his election night off biting his nails. It wasn’t, though, because he was nervous about the election, or even the results of the hockey game playing on the big-screen TV at the Penticton Ramada Inn, where friends and supporters were gathering to watch the election results come in. “I’ve got a hangnail I’m trying to get rid of,” said Ashton, who had put a hard day in working the phones and getting the vote out in the riding. It appears he was successful, by 10 p.m. he had been declared winner in the Penticton riding. Ashton, however, was cautious, though happy at the news. “I sure hope the experts are right,” he said, commenting that only about half of the 184 polls in the riding had reported in so far. But Ashton’s election mirrored what was happening across the province, with the polls in Penticton closer than expected earlier in the campaign. Ashton was still running neck and neck with NDP candidate Dick Cannings when a Liberal majority had been declared in B.C., with the Liberals leading or elected in 49 ridings and sinking NDP hopes to take the reins of government for the first time in 12 years. From six months before the election, polling had indicated an NDP victory, though their margin nar-
Mark Brett/Western News
LIBERAL CANDIDATE Dan Ashton, with daughter Chantal, waits anxiously for the next round of voting results to come in at his election-night headquarters at the Ramada Inn and Suites Tuesday. Ashton was declared the winner at about 10 p.m. with half the polls in.
rowed to seven per cent as election day neared. While NDP leader Adrian Dix took his riding, Vancouver-Kingsway, with more than 50 per cent of the vote, Liberal leader Christy Clark was still fighting for her riding late into the evening. “I am too old to be surprised by any of this anymore,” said local Liberal organizer Mark Ziebarth, speaking of the local race. “I am surprised that the Liberal party, in
Come and join us for our Appliance Center Grand Opening on May 31st, 2013, featuring the full line of GE Appliances.
150 Fairview PL. • PeNTiCTON
250-493-1233
Take advantage of our Grand Opening Door Buster, an over the range 1.5 cu.ft. 300CFM Microwave for only $199.99! As well as our GE Select Appliance Sale on until June 10, 2013.
all 85 ridings, appears to be doing much better than anyone expected.” In Penticton, Ashton said he knew it was going to be a close vote after the writ had dropped and no Green candidate stepped forward to run in the riding. No vote splitting on the left, and B.C. Conservative Sean Upshaw drawing off about 10 per cent of the right-wing vote was definitely a bonus for NDP candidate Dick Cannings. “I knew it was going to be a
close race and it is proving so,” said Ashton. “It’s very early in the evening. It’s a very diverse area. There are going to be ups and downs. It’s a bit of a roller coaster ride tonight, but we are trending in the right direction, let’s hope that continues.” Though Ashton wasn’t ready to accept victory, he was ready to praise his supporters and campaign team. The big difference between running a municipal campaign and a provincial
one, he said, is the support. “You can’t be on top of all of it and that’s why you have a great campaign team, people that know what they are doing,” he said. “Especially for someone like myself that’s never been involved in it. I’ve never had a campaign team other than my kids and myself.” “It’s not just the campaign, team, everyone has to work together. “Winning trips everything,” joked Ziebarth from the background. “I am really proud of Dan for running his campaign his way and going against Mr. Cannings who did it his way. And the voters are speaking. We don’t quite know what they are going to say yet, but I am hoping Dan pulls it out.” Another supporter on hand was Ashton’s son, Coleton, who seemed more nervous than his father, who he has helped through several provincial campaigns. “It’s just as nerve wracking, but I am confident of my dad, I know what kind of person he is and how well he will represent the people of this riding,” said the younger Ashton. “It’s goes back and forth, but I have nothing but full belief in my dad. I was campaigning with him at a few events, but nothing compared to what he put in.” Ashton’s victory means the City of Penticton will have one more election in the future. Ashton took a leave of absence from his position as mayor to run, and now plans to step down. City council will be meeting in the near future to decide how and when the byelection will be handled, but Ashton has already agreed to pay the costs, up to an amount of $35,000.
www.guerards.com toP QuaLitY Patio Furniture made in tHe u.s.a. - order From Hundreds oF Fabric, Frame and coLour cHoices! custom orders aLLow 3 to 4 weeKs For deLiverY
70 westminster avenue east ~ downtown ~ Free ParKing toLL Free: 1-877-404-2950 • PHone: 250-492-8104