2 • The Upper Columbia Pioneer
May 20, 2005
PROVINCIAL
Graceful in defeat
By Elinor Florence Pioneer Staff
An emotional Wendy McMahon made her farewell speech Tuesday night, thanking her supporters and wishing Norm Macdonald all the best. Her husband Brian, rarely seen during the campaign, was by her side as she conceded the Columbia River-Revelstoke seat to her NDP opponent. The evening began hopefully at the campaign office in the Invermere Inn, where about 30 supporters gathered to celebrate. Cheers met the very first poll results from the Wilder subdivision showing Wendy with a resounding win. But the jubilation was short-lived as the momentum slowed. As the Invermere numbers came in, smiles faded and the watchers grew sombre. Although Wendy continued to win polls in Invermere and her home base in Fairmont, the numbers weren’t strong enough to make up for what everyone suspected was about to come. When the results from Golden and Revelstoke arrived, Norm led in almost every poll. Ultimately, Kimberley told the tale. As poll after poll fell to the NDP, there was a collective sigh. Within moments the nervous tension evaporated like water flowing down the drain and Liberal supporters faced the cold, hard reality of defeat. Wendy remained cheerful and composed throughout the evening, even as she watched Premier Gordon Campbell’s jubilant victory speech on television, knowing that her party was moving forward without her. Finally, she gathered her group together and spoke a few words. Showing signs of emotion at last, she struggled to keep her voice steady while she thanked several people, including husband Brian, campaign manager Bob Johnstone and Shala Robins, who managed her MLA’s office and who will now be out of a job. “I don’t want anyone here to forget what we’ve accomplished in the past four years,” she said, citing improvements to health care, upgrades to the TransCanada Highway and the new Paralympics Centre in Kimberley. “We have tried our hardest,” she said, and was then forced to stop as the tears threatened. The evening ended with the champagne that was supposed to have been drunk in victory.
“We tried our best,” former MLA told Liberal supporters while husband Brian McMahon applauds.
Local Liberals shocked by election results By Elinor Florence Pioneer Staff Liberal supporters were disappointed as they struggled to come to terms with the fact that although their party won the provincial election, they lost their local member. Traditionally an NDP riding, Wendy McMahon won the seat four years ago after voters became disenchanted with the previous government. Although Gordon Campbell became the first premier to be re-elected in the past 22 years, this riding reverted to the NDP once again. “It just doesn’t make sense,” said an exasperated and baffled Henry Karperine, director of sales at Fairmont Resort Properties, who was present at the Liberal campaign office Tuesday night. “We find somebody who is doing a great job and then we fire them.” Mr. Karperine added: “This is one of the largest geographic ridings and Wendy was on the road in her car every day, driving between Kimberley and Golden and Revelstoke. No man would ever work as hard as she does, and neither will Norm.” Bob Johnstone, Wendy’s campaign manager, attributed the loss to the huge amounts of cash spent
by the provincial unions, such as the $5 million spent by B.C. Teachers Federation. “One union spent more than the Liberals were allowed to spend,” he said, pointing to large advertisements in local newspapers as an example. “It’s unconscionable when our public teachers can spend more on a campaign than our own MLA.” Bob Myers, former Conservative MLA in Saskatoon, retired and moved to Invermere two years ago to get away from the NDP, as he put it. “People here have not remembered the past and they have not remembered how much Wendy has done for this valley,” he said. Shala Robins, who worked in the MLA’s office and will now lose her job, said she was absolutely stunned. “I don’t care for myself, but I care for the people of this riding,” she said. “I’m the one who was with her every day and I know how hard she worked. People just assumed she would get in again. They were far too complacent.” Barry Brown-John said he wasn’t happy, either - but he was a little more philosophical about the loss. “People in this riding have short memories,” he said, “but the sun will still rise tomorrow.”
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