George Anderson (left) and Sheila Malcolmson (right) will represent the Nanaimo area in the Legislature, after winning their respective ridings Saturday. (Jordan Davidson/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

orange sweep

Malcolmson, Anderson elected as NDP sweep pivotal Nanaimo ridings

Oct 19, 2024 | 10:35 PM

NANAIMO — A potential blue wave through central Vancouver Island did not materialize as voters in the Harbour City returned two NDP representatives to Victoria.

Sheila Malcolmson won re-election on Saturday, Oct. 19 in the newly re-drawn Nanaimo-Gabriola Island riding, sending her to the Legislature for a third time, receiving around 52.22 per cent of the vote.

BC Conservative candidate Dale Parker finished second with 35.19 per cent and Shirley Lambrecht in third with 12.59 per cent. Final vote counts will be confirmed in the days to come.

“Relieved, grateful, in about an hour I’ll be exhausted but right now this room is so energizing,” Malcolmson said shortly after the projected win was announced. “All the voters and volunteers who made this possible are here and it feels good to be together.”

Malcolmson was originally elected in a January 2019 by-election for the then-Nanaimo riding and was re-elected during the 2020 general election.

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It was a comfortable victory in a riding and area which has gone to the NDP in almost every election since the 1970s.

Malcolmson said she’s excited to return to Victoria as a representative for the region and looks to continue work done as former minister for mental health and addictions, as well as minister for social development and poverty reduction.

She added campaign promises around healthcare will be top of her agenda when the Legislature returns.

“I’ve been working on pushing on the patient tower for four years now, pushing for the cancer centre. These are projects that if it is an NDP government, we’ll be pushing ahead with. We had a serious social infrastructure deficit and whatever the government in place I’ll be pushing to build that up and not let BC get in the hole again.”

Anderson makes the jump to politics after three years in the early 2010s as a Nanaimo City Councillor.

He said his focus will be making good on campaign promises surrounding affordability and healthcare options on the central Island.

Of particular focus is a promised patient tower at NRGH.

“I was born and raised in Nanaimo and I was born at that hospital. I was happy when I had David Eby at that town hall to announce the patient tower, so we’re going to take the next steps to do the business plan and make sure the residents of Nanaimo get what they need.”

Dale Parker and Gwen O’Mahony talk with supporters at a north Nanaimo restaurant, falling short in each of their races. (Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

Coming up short
Conservative candidate for Nanaimo-Lantzville Gwen O’Mahony said the result is obviously very disappointing but she’s proud of the campaign.

“This was the ultimate underdog story, we were two per cent in the polls. I joined a party that John Rustad built up into something really incredible. I came to a riding where I was going to be slaughtered and we put on one heck of a fight.”

O’Mahony said her campaign and the Conservatives in general were able to have a big impact, forcing some changes in direction from the BC NDP, including on decriminalization of drug possession.

She pointed to a viral video of a now-removed drug paraphernalia and supply vending machine outside Nanaimo Regional General Hospital as a pivotal moment in her campaign.

Dale Parker was unable to upset Sheila Malcolmson in Nanaimo-Gabriola and said he did a lot in a short month after being named the riding’s candidate following the BC United shutdown.

“I accomplished with the help of my friends and supporters…I know I did because I’ve connected with so many people in community, I’ve made friends with so many people. I know a lot of people will be disappointed but we did a pretty good job for what we had.”

The NDP are also projected to claim Ladysmith Oceanside via Stephanie Higginson, as well as Mid Island Pacific Rim through Josie Osborne.

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