Unofficial results from the 2019 Federal Election show the Green party securing two seats on Vancouver Island, making a dent on a traditional NDP stronghold (Elections Canada/Canadian Press)

By Alex Rawnsley

TURNING TIDE

Nanaimo political drama costs NDP seat in Nanaimo-Ladysmith: analyst

Oct 22, 2019 | 1:30 PM

NANAIMO — For the second time in six months, the Green party claimed the Nanaimo-Ladysmith riding. Paul Manly carving out a decisive victory over the Conservatives John Hirst and NDP’s Bob Chamberlin.

The win signalled a changing of the guard in Nanaimo and Vancouver Island, which has traditionally been an NDP stronghold.

Of the seven ridings on Vancouver Island, the NDP won five while the Greens took the other two.

VIU Political Studies professor Dr. Alex Netherton told NanaimoNewsNOW the NDP were hurt by the political turmoil over the past 12 months.

“The NDP had two stellar political leaders in the region, but Leonard Krog went to become Mayor in Nanaimo and Sheila Malcolmson decided to go to Victoria.”

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Netherton added the party didn’t have a succession plan in place for candidates and despite Bob Chamberlin stepping up and running a solid campaign, there was little the party could do.

Much of the credit, according to Netherton, goes to Manly himself for keeping Nanaimo green.

“It seems to me that Nanaimo is open to this kind of representation. The candidate is exceptional, but when I listen to Paul Manly I think to myself ‘is he with the Greens or NDP?. To me, he’d be at home in both parties.”

Federally the Greens securing of Manly’s seat, plus the gain of a third MP in New Brunswick, is a result of a weakened NDP following disappointing leadership from Thomas Mulcair, Netherton said.

“The party went into a bit of tailspin in terms of public support, but Jagmeet Singh’s performance in this election turned the tide,” Netherton said. “They called it the orange wave…but it’s just actually backwash. They’re a party that had almost 100 seats four or five years ago.”

The NDP were able to hold onto most of the seats on Vancouver Island, with Gord Johns (Courtenay-Alberni) and Rachel Blaney (North Island-Powell River) cruising to victories.

Netherton said the experience will serve the region well, even with a lack of direct influence on government.

“They’re people who are seasoned politicians, they bring a lot of experience. We have a little bit of new blood in there but it seems for the next little while, these people are defining us.”

alex.rawnsley@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alexrawnsley