British ColumbiaThe former Liberal cabinet minister at the heart of the SNC-Lavalin affair grinds out a win in a close three-way race.Former Liberal cabinet minister grinds out win in close 3-way raceChad Pawson · CBC News · Posted: Oct 21, 2019 6:09 PM PT | Last Updated: October 22Jody Wilson-Raybould addresses supporters after winning the riding of Vancouver Granville as an Independent on Monday. (CBC)Jody Wilson-Raybould is returning to Ottawa as an Independent MP for Vancouver Granville in what is projected to be a Liberal minority government. “I am so happy to be standing here as the newly elected Independent candidate for Vancouver Granville,” Wilson-Raybould announced to a roaring crowd.She narrowly defeated Liberal Taleeb Noormohamed and Conservative Zach Segal with around 32 per cent of the vote. Wilson-Raybould supporters cheer on the Independent candidate in the riding of Vancouver-Granville on Monday. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC) Wilson-Raybould was at the heart of the SNC-Lavalin scandal as justice minister under Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She said she was pressured by the Prime Minister’s Office to spare the Quebec engineering firm from prosecution and was eventually expelled from the Liberal caucus. In August, the ethics commissioner found that the prime minister had violated the Conflict of Interest Act by trying to influence Wilson-Raybould. “Holy moly” she says.Jody Wilson-Raybould thanks her supporters and everyone cheers.”An incredibly humbling moment and experience… Tonight is different. Tonight we accomplished showing Ottawa that independent strong voices matter.” pic.twitter.com/WJaVqad9Kr—@anitabathe She declined an offer to run for the Green Party, saying she was content to run as an Independent in 2019. Still, after she was expelled from caucus she continued to vote with the Liberals on many issues, saying she is a progressive. ‘Politics differently’ “Tonight we accomplished together something extraordinary,” she told her supporters on Monday night. “Independent strong voices matter and that we can do politics differently.” In her victory speech, Wilson-Raybould said her win as an Independent shows that politics can be done differently in Canada 0:45 UBC political scientist Gerald Baier said a minority government in Ottawa will allow Wilson-Raybould to pick and choose what issues she wants to support, with little consequence. “She can vote with the government and nobody is going to punish her,” he said. “It’s the opportunity to be quite entrepreneurial.” Minority equals ‘best laws, policies’ In her victory speech Wilson-Raybould said she wants to inspire other politicians in Ottawa to work across party lines on issues like climate change, electoral reform and reconciliation with First Nations. “I do think the best laws and best policies come from a minority government situation and I am going to be proud … and pleased to work with all the members of Parliament,” she said. Jody Wilson-Raybould calls for non-partisan approach to climate change On Monday she spent the day making thank you calls while her volunteers knocked on doors for a last minute push to get voters to the polls. She watched the results come in with her mother and sister and in her victory speech complimented her colleague Jane Philpott, who failed in her attempt to win as an Independent in the Ontario riding of Markham-Stouffville. Philpott left the Liberal cabinet shortly after Wilson-Raybould. Riding support Constituents in the riding said at campaign events that they would vote again for Wilson-Raybould either because they liked her as a person, or because they wanted to send a message to the Liberal Party about its handling of the SNC-Lavalin affair. Wilson-Raybould thanks a supporter after winning the riding of Vancouver Granville. (Maggie MacPherson/CBC) Some expressed doubts about how much she would be able to accomplish in Ottawa as an Independent, but her utility in Ottawa will surely be enhanced with a minority government in place. “Vancouver Granville has shown that integrity matters and if we have integrity and do the right thing in politics you can succeed, we can succeed,” she told her supporters on Monday night. Jody Wilson-Raybould wants a minority government and is willing ‘to work with whomever’ is in power Wilson-Raybould won handily in 2015 but the NDP and Conservative candidates still managed a quarter of the vote each.
Jody Wilson-Raybould going back to Ottawa as Independent MP in minority Parliament | CBC News
