WAVERLEY: If the past five weeks of campaigning was just a warmup for the hard work ahead, Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook Liberal MP-elect Darrell Samson said he’s ready.
Samson earned re-election in the federal election on Sept. 20 after 18,839 residents in the vast and wide riding voted to return him to Ottawa, ahead of Conservative Angela Conrad with 12,047 votes
The third term MP, who calls Fall River home, entered the Waverley Legion buoyed by his wife Faye and children to a small, but appreciative crowd who gave him a large applause. He greeted friends, campaign workers, including Duncan Robertson and Marni Tuttle, who ran for the provincial MLA spot in Waverley-Fall River-Beaver Bank, and Sandra Carr among some.
“I’m ecstatic,” said Samson in a sit-down interview after he spoke to the crowd. “There’s no question about it.
“Winning three times is not easy, especially when you’re in the governing party. If you’re not in the governing party it’s one thing, but when you’re in the governing party you can, to some extent, be on the defence. You’re being challenged on some of the decisions you took.”
He said it’s not easy to put ones self out there as the candidates did.
“I have to say throughout the campaign I felt more and more confident as we were winding down,” said Samson. “That’s a great feeling because you want momentum on your side.”
Samson felt people in the riding appreciated the hard work they did.
“They recognized what I did here, and it’s a privilege to represent the riding,” he said. “It’s very touching to get a third term. It’s unbelievable feeling.
“I’m proud to be the voice for Sackville-Preston-Chezzetcook in Ottawa.”
Chisholm was obviously disappointed with the outcome, but proud of how she ran her campaign. She finished third with 12,011 votes, once all votes were compiled and reported only after our story was published.
“Although it wasn’t the result we had hoped for, I am so proud of the work we put in to make meaningful change in our community,” she said in a Facebook post.
She thanked her dedicated team for their efforts.
“Thank you to each volunteer that donated time and each supporter that checked off my name on their ballot and supported this campaign,” she said.
Just because she didn’t win doesn’t mean she’s going away, and the government will know that.
“The fight for pharmacare, dentalcare, Indigenous rights, affordable housing and real climate action isn’t over,” said Chisholm. “I will be alongside you as we continue to push for change.”
Samson was asked so with a third term coming up, will he re-offer again when another federal election is held (four years if they go the full time, or sooner)?
“I love politics. I love my family. My family has been behind me from day one,” said Samson. “It’s not easy to be a representative, but it’s important. I feel I am doing something very important to support Canadians.
“As long as I feel that I’m contributing to making life better for individuals, families, and communities, I’ll stay.”
The People Party’s Earl Gosse was fourth at 1,7776 votes, while it seemed that turmoil with the national Green Party impacted Anthony Edmonds who garnered just 933 votes. That’s down almost 5,000 votes from 2019 when he had 5,743 ballots cast in his name.
Overall 45,858 of 72,197 eligible voters—or just above 61 per cent—cast a ballot on Sept. 20. There were also 252 rejected ballots (included in the overall votes cast number above).
