Progressive Conservative leader Dennis King, accompanied by his wife Jana Hemphill, left, arrives to greet supporters after winning the Prince Edward Island provincial election in Charlottetown on April 23, 2019. (Andrew Vaughan/The Canadian Press)

Voters in Prince Edward Island Elect Tory Minority Amid Green Surge

CHARLOTTETOWN—Voters in P.E.I. have shed their century-old embrace of the Island’s two-party system, electing a Tory minority government and handing the upstart Green party official Opposition status for the first time.

With all polls reporting Tuesday, the Tories had won 12 seats, the Greens held eight, and the incumbent Liberals, led by Premier Wade MacLauchlan, had won six.

“Welcome to a new day in Prince Edward Island!” Tory Leader Dennis King told supporters, who immediately roared their approval. “Welcome to a new era of Island politics. Welcome to the tremendous honour and the tremendous responsibility of governing.”

Remarking on the strong showing by the Greens, King said it showed that Island voters want their political parties to work together.

“It shows that Prince Edward Island wants the parties to put partisanship behind them … to do what’s best for Prince Edward Island,” he told the crowd.

Afterwards, King, who won his riding of Brackley-Hunter River, admitted he was overwhelmed by his party’s victory.

“I’m equal parts excited and terrified,” he said. “This is a very surreal experience for me. I’ve come a long way, and the party has come a long way.”

The Tories finished with 37 per cent of the popular vote, followed by the Greens at 31 and the Liberals at 29. The NDP received just three per cent. Voter turnout was 77 per cent, a five-point drop from the 2015 election.

The tight three-way race produced the province’s first minority government since 1890.

The Greens had led in opinion polls since August, prompting speculation they could be poised to form Canada’s first Green government.

Still, their strong showing on election night was a major breakthrough for a party that did not hold a seat in the legislature until 2015. That’s when party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker won a seat in a general election—after nine unsuccessful runs for office on the Island and in Ontario.

“Islanders responded (to us) by granting us a record number of seats—by far the most seats ever by a Green party in Canada,” he told a boisterous crowd at the PEI Brewing Company in Charlottetown.

“I’m a strong believer in the capacity of minority government to create a collaborative environment.”

King, a 47-year-old former journalist and consultant, was elected to lead his party only two months ago. The Tories enjoyed a boost in the polls last month, leaving them in a virtual dead heat with the Greens and Liberals as the campaign began.

The Tory victory on the Island represents the latest in a series of gains for right-leaning parties, including wins in Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario—all within the last year.

Earlier this year, the Island’s Progressive Conservatives were largely regarded as a dysfunctional organization, having churned through no less than six leaders in the past eight years.

Despite past infighting within Tory ranks, King was lauded for running a solid campaign, mainly by reinforcing a relentlessly positive message—a tried-and-true tactic among Island politicians.

A former communications director for former Tory premier Pat Binns, King performed well on the hustings and in a series of decidedly polite leaders debates.

Among other things, King promised to expand beer and wine sales to convenience stores.

Access to family doctors emerged as a key issue in the campaign. All four parties talked about recruiting more physicians. According to Health PEI, there are 13,083 Islanders on the waiting list for a family doctor

The Greens’ rise in popularity generated a national buzz during an otherwise lacklustre campaign.

During the race, Bevan-Baker—a Scottish-born dentist—tried to persuade Islanders that the Greens care about more than just the environment, offering a platform that focused on a range of social issues, including a pledge to raise social assistance rates.

The 56-year-old Green leader won his riding of New Haven-Rocky Point.

The Liberals were seeking a fourth term in office, having repeatedly reminded Islanders that the province’s economy remains the strongest in the country.

MacLauchlan, 64, failed to win his seat.

“It’s simple: the tide turned. We’ve had four years of good government, responsible government and exceptionally good management of the province’s finances,” he told reporters.

“We left no stone unturned. We presented good policy. We presented a good team and we went and did the work that candidates do.”

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say P.E.I. is on a tear, posting impressive numbers for higher wages, employment, immigration, housing starts, exports, retail sales and tourism.

However, voters appeared reluctant to give MacLauchlan credit for boosting the economy, a sentiment that was reflected in his relatively low personal popularity ratings.

The Island’s New Democrats, led by 57-year-old Joe Byrne, were not in contention in any ridings.

When the legislature was dissolved, the Liberals held 16 seats in the 27-seat legislature, the Tories had eight and Greens had two seats. There was one Independent.

A total of 14 seats are needed for a majority, but only 26 of the 27 seats were contested Tuesday.

On Saturday, Elections P.E.I. postponed the vote in the district of Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park following the deaths of Green party candidate Josh Underhay and his young son in a boating mishap on the Hillsborough River.

Bevan-Baker began his address to supporters with an emotional tribute to Underhay. “I don’t think I’ve ever felt so overwhelmed by joy and grief simultaneously,” he said.

A byelection will be held in the riding within the next three months.

Aside from the election outcome, voters cast ballots in a referendum on electoral reform. Preliminary results suggested they had declined to endorse the switch to proportional representation, though the results were close.</s>It was closer than they expected, but it was what they were looking for.

The majority of voters in Tuesday’s referendum question opted to keep the current first-past-the-post system.

John Barrett of the No side said that was the goal.

“I was perhaps a little surprised that it was as close as it was, but at the end of the day, I think that our side prevailed in a fair and square manner,” Barrett told The Guardian Wednesday.

A referendum vote calling for electoral reform was held along with the provincial general election April 23, where voters received two ballots – one to vote for the candidate of their choice and the other to vote on whether they’d like to see electoral reform.

Unofficial results from Elections P.E.I. showed 51 per cent of voters chose to maintain the status quo, while 49 per cent voted for a mixed member proportional (MMP) system.

The referendum threshold was set at 50 per cent plus one of voters in 60 per cent of the districts to be declared the winner, which meant that in order for the Yes side to be honoured, it had to win 17 districts.

The results showed the Yes side took 15 districts, while the No side took 12.

Barrett said he wasn’t surprised by the districts that voted to keep the status quo.

“I assumed that rural Prince Edward Island would be strong No supporters and that the urban areas not as much,” he said. “We were hopeful, and to a certain degree confident, that we would carry the day.”

In an interview Tuesday, a representative from the Yes side said the fight for electoral reform wasn’t over.

Barrett said if further change was suggested, those with similar opinions to the No side would look to see if the proposed change is a good idea or not and said the No side isn’t opposed to electoral reform, just to MMP.

“There’s a lengthy list of issues that we have with MMP, and that’s why we stepped up and spent the time that we did trying to convince the general public of the same.”

Barrett said having the referendum alongside the election was a good idea and said there was enough time for both sides of the question to get their message out to the public.

RELATED</s>‘My god, I love this island,’ says leader Peter Bevan-Baker after news party will form official opposition

This article is more than 4 months old

This article is more than 4 months old

A Green party will form the official opposition for the first time in Canadian history, following a closely watched election in the province of Prince Edward Island. The unprecedented result signifies a major milestone for the environmentally oriented political party.

Following weeks of vigorous campaigning in Canada’s smallest province, the Progressive Conservatives (PC) emerged victorious on Tuesday evening with a thin lead in the province’s legislative seats.

With most votes counted, the PC party, led by former journalist Dennis King, appeared to have won 12 of 27 seats.

“All I can say is – welcome to a new day in Prince Edward Island,” King told cheering supporters.

However, much of the focus of election night was on Peter Bevan-Baker, leader of the insurgent Green party. His party appeared poised to take nine seats – a significant increase from the two seats it held when the election was called.

Canada’s Greens eye victory on Prince Edward Island Read more

“Islanders responded … by granting us a record number of seats – by far the most seats ever by a Green party in Canada,” said Bevan-Baker, later adding: “My god, I love this island.”

A Scottish-born dentist, Bevan-Baker ran on a fiscally conservative but socially progressive platform in the agriculture-rich province that is on the front lines of a changing climate.

The defeated Liberal government lost most of its seats, finished in third place. Incumbent premier Wade MacLauchlan was unable to hold his seat. “It’s something that happens in politics,” he said following the loss. “The tide has changed.”

King’s minority government will mark the the first time the island’s legislative assembly has been without a majority since the 1800s.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Prince Edward Island Green leader Peter Bevan-Baker. Photograph: John Morris/The Canadian Press/PA Images

While the result fell short of hopes the Green party could form its first ever provincial government in Canada, the result marked significant gains for Bevan-Baker’s party.

The result marks not only a new era in the province’s politics, but also a seismic shift from the two-party system – made up of the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives – that has dominated the island’s politics for the past five decades. Each party typically serves three terms before being replaced by the opposition.

Also on the ballot on Tuesday evening was electoral reform, with a proposal to swap the current first-past-the-post electoral system with a mixed member proportional voting system. The measure failed to reach the required 60% threshold, making it unlikely the new government would implement the results.

Voting was delayed on Tuesday, after a bomb threat was called in at the Assumption parish centre. Federal police closed the voting station and cordoned off the area until it reopened two hours later.

Tragedy also struck the island last Friday, when Green candidate Josh Underhay and his son were killed in a canoeing accident. All parties announced campaigning would be suspended over the Easter long weekend.

Election officials have not yet said when they will hold an election for District 9, where Underhay was listed as a candidate. Election officials even considered postponing the election, given the tight-knit nature of the island – but rules prevented a delay.</s>The green wave that was expected to sweep over P.E.I. turned out to be mostly blue in a historic decision Tuesday night that put the Progressive Conservatives in power with a minority government and the Greens in Official Opposition.

At press time, the Progressive Conservative party had won 12 of the province’s 27 seats and 36.5 per cent of the vote; the Greens had nabbed eight and 30.6 per cent of ballots cast—greater numbers than it has achieved in any other province and enough to upend several Liberal incumbents. Overall, the governing Liberals faced a punishing defeat, earning just six seats (29.5 per cent of the vote) with outgoing Premier Wade MacLauchlan losing his to a PC candidate.

It was the first time in Canadian history that the Green Party—which has three seats in New Brunswick, three in B.C. and one in Ontario—has won enough to become Official Opposition.

Don Desserud, a political science professor at University of P.E.I. called the party’s strides “hugely significant.”

“Historically, this is an incredible accomplishment for the Green Party,” he said, adding that it suggests there is a frustration with the normal way that politics is done, including the acrimony and constant attacks. “What both those parties did in this campaign is say ‘No, we’re different.’”

On Tuesday night, voters also rejected a proposed switch to proportional representation in a province-wide referendum vote that narrowly failed, with 12 districts voting no and 15 voting yes. The threshold for a win was 17.

Still, in a tweet, Andrew Weaver, the leader of the B.C. Green Party, offered his “heartfelt congratulations” to Bevan-Baker and his team on their historic campaign.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also tweeted about the results, congratulating PC leader Dennis King on winning a minority and thanking Wade MacLauchlan for his service.

While polls in the last month suggested that the Greens were poised to form a minority government, the PCs made a strong comeback in a short amount of time. They were the only party not in favour of a carbon tax.

“I don’t think it was simply because he had the better policies,” said Desserud of King. “I think it was because he was prepared to do politics differently and that’s what people were craving.”

The party had, in fact, been plagued by internal strife, but King brought it together hastily and decisively. Following his win, he said he was honoured and excited. “I would say it’s surreal almost to think about where we’ve come in a short time,” King said.

In his victory speech, he stressed: “It shows that Prince Edward Island wants the parties to put partisanship behind them, to do what’s best for Prince Edward Island.”

The campaign had been remarkably free of the melodrama and mudslinging that’s come to be expected in partisan politics. At a recent leadership debate, the three leaders praised each other for their proposals, to the point that the moderator intervened to encourage them to take it up a notch.

The historic number of Green seats also had to do with the personality of the leader. Bevan-Baker, a dentist, scanned less as a crusading tree-hugger than a buttoned-up professional known for his congeniality and steadfastness. He’d worked for the Green Party for many years, finally earning a seat in 2015.

While recent polls suggested they were headed for a big win, the Greens’ expected breakthrough fell short in rural P.E.I.: they won just two seats outside of urban centres. Still, Bevan-Baker said he was thrilled about his party’s eight seats. “I would be lying if I didn’t say there was a tinge of disappointment, but given the huge forward strides that we’ve made, I’m 99 per cent joyous tonight,” he told Maclean’s.

Notably, the Green leader voiced no interest in toppling the government, saying that he’s absolutely ready to work with any other party to provide good government to Prince Edward Islanders and he plans to begin talk about how to do that on Wednesday.

The party’s jubilation was tempered, though, by the tragedy that shook the campaign and sent the province into mourning on Easter weekend. Green party candidate Josh Underhay, 35, and his six-year-old son Oliver died in a canoe accident on Good Friday. (A byelection will be held in Underhay’s constituency within the next three months.)

The shocking loss was the first thing Bevan-Baker brought up when he addressed a crowd of supporters Tuesday night. Some held each other and wiped tears from their eyes, as Bevan-Baker talked about feeling overwhelmed with joy and grief. “My god,” he said, “I love this island.”
• Is it time to abolish provinces?
• Could the walrus return to the Maritimes?
• After 35 years, abortions are finally available in P.E.I.</s>Canadians on Prince Edward Island are preparing to vote on Tuesday in a regional election that could lead to a Green party forming a government for the first time in the country’s history.

The party leader, Peter Bevan-Baker is a Scotland-born dentist who has transformed a routine election into a closely watched race as he seeks to upend expectation and precedent on 23 April.

The bucolic island – Canada’s smallest province – is best known internationally as the home of LM Montgomery’s classic children’s novel Anne of Green Gables. But it also remains a region heavily reliant on fishing and farming – industries that are increasingly precarious as the area grapples with the effects of climate change.

Bevan-Baker’s potential win also underscores the unpredictability and diversity of Canadian politics. Last week, voters soundly rejected a progressive government that promised to tackle climate change in the heartlands of Canada’s oil industry.

For generations, the 153,000 residents of Prince Edward Island have experienced a see-saw of political consistency, with the Liberals and Progressive Conservatives alternating power with remarkable predictability.

But this belies an exciting history of Canadians firsts: Prince Edward Island elected the first non-European premier (Joseph Ghiz), the first elected female premier (Catherine Callbeck) and the first openly gay leader (incumbent premier Wade MacLauchlan).

“Could we become the first province to elect the Green party? It’s possible,” said Paul MacNeill, publisher and political commentator on the island.

No Green party in Canada has ever formed a provincial or national government. A win by Bevan-Baker would upend precedent, but even a minority government would be a first in the province since the 1800s.

While the province’s economy is roaring, the public appears to have grown weary of what would amount to four consecutive terms of Liberal government if premier MacLauchlan is re-elected on Tuesday (though it would only be his second term).

Bevan-Baker’s candidacy, however, promises to upset the status quo in a region known for its political moderation.

“He is fiscally conservative. He’s socially responsible and he’s environmentally aware,” said MacNeill. “Between the lilt of his voice and his policies – which are middle of the road for the most part – he’s won a lot of converts.”

And Bevan-Baker has been astute at reading the electorate. “They’ve been presenting themselves less as a party with an activist agenda on environmental issues and more as a party that will pay attention and is capable and interested in listening to the people,” said Don Desserud, a professor of political science at the University of Prince Edward Island.

In a province heavily reliant on agriculture, courting the rural areas, especially given the declining prosperity of family farms, is key to any electoral breakthrough.

“What Bevan Baker has done, is reformulated [the Greens’] message to say that they want to work with farmers, not against [them]. They want to help people. They want to support them,” said Desserud.

The result is policy proposals from the Greens that dive deep into pesticide and chemical fertiliser rules, but one that also emphasises individual responsibility as opposed to government regulation.

But a Green government also holds a certain poignancy for islanders on the front line of climate change: each day, the Atlantic Ocean eats away at its famed red cliffs and sections are expected to soon disappear beneath rising sea levels.

“Living on an island, you start to see the effects of climate change in a tangible way, especially as a farming and fishing community,” said Colin Buchanan, a musician in the province’s capital Charlottetown, who plans to once again vote Green.

While Canada has experimented with Green politicians in the past – most recently with Mike Schreiner, a small business owner in Guelph, Ontario, who won 45% of the vote in the province’s recent election – the country has been wary to fully embrace the party as a viable option in forming government.

But the electoral strategy of the party in PEI might also portend a shift in thinking about how to court a wary electorate.

“What the Green party has had to do is to basically rebrand themselves … as a far more comprehensive party,” said Desserud, likening its strategy to that of European Green parties.

The Greens have enjoyed a surprisingly robust lead over the other two parties throughout the campaign, even in conservative rural areas, but recent polling suggests the election has tightened into a three-way race.

The Progressive Conservative party leader and former journalist, Dennis King, is well-liked and seen as a moderate voice – and has slowly chipped away at Bevan-Baker’s outsized lead.

But the campaign, which has been cordial and friendly, has also been beset by tragedy: on Friday, the Green candidate and local teacher Josh Underhay and his young son died in a canoeing accident, a shocking blow to the tight-knit community.

“Josh brought humour, enthusiasm and boundless energy to every situation,” said Bevan-Baker in a statement the next day, announcing all campaign activities would be suspended over the weekend, with other parties also following suit.

In the last election, Bevan-Baker’s 2015 seat was the lone Green representation in the province’s legislative assembly, capping 10 previously unsuccessful attempts at winning a seat in Canadian politics. Hanna Bell brought the party’s seat count to two, following a 2017 byelection win.

But politics is a private matter for many and most residents are tight-lipped about their choice at the ballot box, making any predictions difficult.

“Islanders are a lot more more traditional than the numbers likely show,” he said. “Maybe I’ll be wrong. I hope I am.”</s>Voters in P.E.I. have shed their century-old embrace of the Island’s two-party system, electing a Tory minority government and handing the upstart Green party official Opposition status for the first time.

With all polls reporting Tuesday, the Tories had won 12 seats, the Greens held nine, and the incumbent Liberals, led by Premier Wade MacLauchlan, had won five.

“Welcome to a new day in Prince Edward Island!” Progressive Conservative Leader Dennis King told supporters, who immediately roared their approval. “Welcome to a new era of Island politics. Welcome to the tremendous honour and the tremendous responsibility of governing.”

Remarking on the strong showing by the Greens, King said it showed that Island voters want their political parties to work together.

“It shows that Prince Edward Island wants the parties to put partisanship behind them … to do what’s best for Prince Edward Island,” he said.

The Tories finished with 37 per cent of the popular vote, followed by the Greens at 31 per cent and the Liberals at 29 per cent. The NDP got just 3 per cent. The three-way race produced the province’s first minority government since 1890.

The Greens had led in opinion polls since August, prompting speculation they could be poised to form Canada’s first Green government.

Still, their strong showing on election night was a major breakthrough for a party that did not hold a seat in the legislature until 2015. That’s when party Leader Peter Bevan-Baker won in the general election — after nine unsuccessful runs for office on the Island and in Ontario.

“Islanders responded (to us) by granting us a record number of seats — by far the most seats ever by a Green party in Canada,” he told a boisterous crowd at the PEI Brewing Company in Charlottetown.

“I’m a strong believer in the capacity of minority government to create a collaborative environment where competing parties can put the interests of constituents and Islanders first.”

King, a former political staffer and consultant, was elected to lead his party only two months ago. He won the riding of Brackley-Hunter River.

The Tories enjoyed a boost in the polls last month, leaving them in a virtual dead heat with the Greens and Liberals as the campaign began.

The Tory victory represents the latest in a series of gains for right-leaning parties, including wins in Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario — all within the last year.

Earlier this year, the Island’s Progressive Conservatives were largely regarded as a dysfunctional organization, having churned through no less than six leaders in the past eight years.

Despite past infighting within Tory ranks, King was lauded for running a solid campaign, mainly by reinforcing a relentlessly positive message — a tried-and-true tactic among Island politicians.

A former communications director for former Tory premier Pat Binns, King performed well on the hustings and in a series of decidedly polite leaders debates.

However, the rookie leader’s run for office was marred by a mild controversy over a series of tweets that were supposed to be funny, but instead offended some, who criticized them for being sexist and homophobic.

King, 47, who also describes himself as a comedian and story-teller with a progressive political outlook, admitted that some of the tweets were inappropriate.

Among other things, King promised to expand beer and wine sales to convenience stores.

Access to family doctors emerged as a key issue in the campaign. All four parties talked about recruiting more physicians. According to Health PEI, there are 13,083 Islanders on the waiting list for a family doctor

The Greens’ rise in popularity generated a national buzz during an otherwise lacklustre campaign.

During the race, Bevan-Baker — a Scottish-born dentist — tried to persuade Islanders that the Greens care about more than just the environment, offering a platform that focused on a range of social issues.

The 56-year-old Green leader, who was elected to the legislature as the first Green member in 2015, won his riding of New Haven-Rocky Point.

The Liberals were seeking a fourth term in office, having repeatedly reminded Islanders that the province’s economy remains the strongest in the country.

“It’s simple: the tide turned. We’ve had four years of good government, responsible government and exceptionally good management of the province’s finances,” he told reporters.

“We left no stone unturned. We presented good policy. We presented a good team and we went and did the work that candidates do.”

It wouldn’t be a stretch to say P.E.I. is on a tear, posting impressive numbers for higher wages, employment, immigration, housing starts, exports, retail sales and tourism.

However, voters appeared reluctant to give MacLauchlan credit for boosting the economy, a sentiment that was reflected in his relatively low personal popularity ratings.

The Island’s New Democrats, led by 57-year-old Joe Byrne, were not in contention in any ridings.

When the legislature was dissolved, the Liberals held 16 seats in the 27-seat legislature, the Tories had eight and the Green party had two seats. There was one Independent.

A total of 14 seats are needed for a majority, but only 26 of the 27 seats were contested Tuesday.

On Saturday, Elections P.E.I. postponed the vote in the district of Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park following the deaths of Green party candidate, Josh Underhay, and his young son in a boating mishap on the Hillsborough River.

A byelection will be held in the riding within the next three months.

Aside from the election outcome, voters cast ballots in a referendum on electoral reform. Preliminary results suggested voters had declined to endorse the switch to proportional representation, though the results were close — and several polls had yet to be counted.</s>Prince Edward Island (P.E.I.) voters were at the polls Tuesday to decide a new provincial government after 12 years of Liberal Party rule, which is led by current premier Wade MacLauchlan.

Polls have shown the Green Party, led by dentist Peter Bevan-Baker, inching upward ahead of the vote.

The NDP, led by Joe Byrne, the Progressive Conservatives, led by Dennis King, and numerous independent candidates are also looking to gain seats.

READ MORE: All eyes on the surging Greens as Prince Edward Island goes to the polls

The election will be decided alongside a binding referendum on whether to move from a first-past-the-post (FPTP) system to a mixed-member proportional (MMP) model.

The province’s voters previously approved moving to an MMP model in a 2016 plebiscite but MacLauchlan rejected the results after they only saw a 36-per cent voter turnout.

Here are the candidates in P.E.I.’s provincial ridings:

Election postponed following the death of Green Party candidate Josh Underhay.</s>CHARLOTTETOWN — Voters in P.E.I. have shed their century-old embrace of the Island's two-party system by electing a Tory minority government, bringing a dramatic conclusion to a tight electoral race that saw the upstart Green party secure a firm foothold in the legislature.

Two hours after the polls closed Tuesday, the Tories were leading and elected in 12 ridings, the Greens were in second with nine and the incumbent Liberals, led by Premier Wade MacLauchlan, were in third with five.

"It's something that happens in politics,'' he told reporters. "The tide has changed.''

Andrew Vaughan/CP Progressive Conservative supporters cheer as they watch the returns in the Prince Edward Island provincial election in Charlottetown on April 23, 2019.

The Greens had led in opinion polls since August, which prompted speculation they could be poised to form Canada's first Green government.

Progressive Conservative Leader Dennis King, a former political staffer and consultant, was elected to lead the party only two months ago. He won the riding of Brackley-Hunter River.

The Tories enjoyed a boost in the polls last month, leaving them in a virtual dead heat with the Greens and Liberals as the campaign ended.

The Tory victory represents the latest in a series of gains for right-leaning parties, including wins in Alberta, Quebec, New Brunswick and Ontario — all within the last year.

Earlier this year, the Island's Progressive Conservatives were largely regarded as a dysfunctional organization, having churned through no less than six leaders in the past eight years.

Despite past infighting within Tory ranks, King was lauded for running a solid campaign, mainly by reinforcing a relentlessly positive message.

Andrew Vaughan/CP NDP Leader Joe Byrne, Progressive Conservative Leader Dennis King, Green Leader Peter Bevan-Baker and Liberal Leader Wade MacLauchlan at the Harbourfront Theatre in Summerside, P.E.I. on April 16, 2019. T

A former communications director for former Tory Premier Patt Binns, King performed well on the hustings and in a series of remarkably polite leaders debates.

However, the rookie leader's run for office was marred by a mild controversy over a series of tweets that were supposed to be funny, but instead offended some, who criticized them for being sexist and homophobic.

King, who also describes himself as a comedian and story-teller with a progressive political outlook, admitted that some of the tweets were inappropriate.

Among other things, King promised to expand beer and wine sales to convenience stores.

Access to family doctors emerged as a key issue in the campaign. All four parties talked about recruiting more physicians. According to Health PEI, there are 13,083 Islanders on the waiting list for a family doctor

Led by Scottish-born dentist Peter Bevan-Baker, the Greens' rise in popularity generated a national buzz during an otherwise lacklustre campaign.

During the race, Bevan-Baker tried to persuade Islanders that the Greens care about more than just the environment, offering a platform that focused on a range of social issues.

Andrew Vaughan/CP Peter Bevan-Baker and his wife Ann after voting in the Prince Edward Island provincial election in Bonshaw, P.E.I. on April 23, 2019.

The Green leader, who was elected to the legislature as the first Green member in 2015, won his riding of New Haven-Rocky Point.

The Liberals were seeking a fourth term in office, having repeatedly reminded Islanders that the province's economy remains the strongest in the country.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say P.E.I. is on a tear, posting impressive numbers for higher wages, employment, immigration, housing starts, exports, retail sales and tourism.

However, voters appeared reluctant to give MacLauchlan credit for boosting the economy, a sentiment that was reflected in his relatively low personal popularity ratings.

The Island's New Democrats, led by 57-year-old Joe Byrne, were not in contention in any ridings.

When the legislature was dissolved, the Liberals held 16 seats in the 27-seat legislature, the Tories had eight and the Green party had two seats. There was one Independent.

A total of 14 seats are needed for a majority, but only 26 of the 27 seats were contested Tuesday.

On Saturday, Elections P.E.I. postponed the vote in the district of Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park following the deaths of Green party candidate, Josh Underhay, and his young son in a boating mishap on the Hillsborough River.

A byelection will be held in the riding within the next three months.

Aside from the election outcome, voters will also learn the results of a binding referendum on electoral reform, which will determine if Islanders want to keep the first-past-the-post system or change to a mixed member proportional representation model.</s>CHARLOTTETOWN -- P.E.I. is headed for a historic minority government, with the incumbent Liberals poised to fall into third place.

The Tories hold a slim lead over the Greens.

More to come...

THIS IS A BREAKING NEWS UPDATE, FOLLOW PREVIOUS COVERAGE BELOW

CHARLOTTETOWN -- Prince Edward Island's Progressive Conservatives maintained a slim lead over their rivals as ballots were counted at the end of an provincial election campaign defined by a surging Green party.

An hour after the polls closed Tuesday, the Tories were leading and elected in 11 ridings, the Greens had pulled into second place with nine and the incumbent Liberals were in third with six.

The Greens had led in opinion polls since August, which led to speculation they could be poised to upend a two-party system that has held fast for more than 100 years.

The Progressive Conservatives have had no fewer than six leaders in the past eight years. The current leader, former political staffer and consultant Dennis King, was elected to lead the party only two months ago.

Still, the Tories enjoyed a boost in the polls last month, leaving them in a virtual dead heat with the Greens and Liberals as the campaign ended.

King was elected in the riding of Brackley-Hunter River.

Led by Scottish-born dentist Peter Bevan-Baker, the Green's rise in popularity generated a national buzz during an otherwise lacklustre campaign.

During the race, Bevan-Baker tried to persuade Islanders that the Greens care about more than just the environment, offering a platform that focused on a range of social issues.

The Green leader, who was elected to the legislature as the first Green member in 2015, won his riding of New Haven-Rocky Point.

The Liberals, under Premier Wade MacLauchlan, are trying to secure a fourth term in office, having repeatedly reminded Islanders that the province's economy remains the strongest in the country.

It wouldn't be a stretch to say P.E.I. is on a tear, posting impressive numbers for higher wages, employment, immigration, housing starts, exports, retail sales and tourism.

However, voters appeared reluctant to give MacLauchlan credit for boosting the economy, a sentiment that was reflected in his relatively low personal popularity ratings.

The Island's New Democrats, led by 57-year-old Joe Byrne, were not in contention in any ridings.

When the legislature was dissolved, the Liberals held 16 seats in the 27-seat legislature, the Tories had eight and the Green party had two seats. There was one Independent.

A total of 14 seats are needed for a majority, but only 26 of the 27 seats will be contested.

On Saturday, Elections P.E.I. postponed the vote in the district of Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park following the deaths of Green party candidate, Josh Underhay, and his young son in a boating mishap on the Hillsborough River.

A byelection will be held in the riding within the next three months.

Aside from the election outcome, voters will also learn the results of a binding referendum on electoral reform, which will determine if Islanders want to keep the first-past-the-post system or change to a mixed member proportional representation model.</s>Prince Edward Islanders prepared to go to polls in a state of collective grief in what surveys and seat projections suggest could be a historic win on Tuesday for the provincial Green Party.

Few in Canada’s smallest province were unaffected by the news that Green candidate Josh Underhay, 35, and his six-year-old son Oliver died in a canoe accident on Good Friday. Their bodies were found at 7 p.m. near their capsized red canoe on the Hillsborough River, P.E.I.’s largest inland waterway, which flows into Northumberland Strait below Charlottetown Harbour. Both were wearing flotation devices.

“The past two days have been among the most difficult of my political life,” said Green Party leader Peter Bevan-Baker in a statement, adding that he’s been overwhelmed by his private grief at the death of a close friend who was also a key candidate for his party.

The island, which in times of crisis becomes one big, close-knit community, went into mourning on Easter weekend alongside Bevan-Baker and Underhay’s family. Within hours of the news, all parties had cancelled their advertising, canvassing and events for the last two days of the campaign. Volunteers in Underhay’s riding of Charlottetown-Hillsborough Park took down his campaign signs.

On Saturday, provincial election officials announced that the vote in Underhay’s riding has been postponed, though a referendum on proportional representation in the province will go ahead there on election day, as planned. The date of a byelection for the constituency will be set within the next few weeks.

The three other party leaders were quick to extend sympathies. NDP leader Joe Byrne, who has known Underhay for many years, and whose party is last place in the polls, perhaps said it best: “Politics at a time like this seems so trivial and yet here we are at a time when we are mourning the loss of these two wonderful people at the end of a campaign.”

Progressive Conservative leader Dennis King said islanders are heartbroken and that Underhay left a lasting impression on everyone who knew him. Liberal incumbent leader Wade MacLauchlan commended Underhay’s contribution to the province in promoting active transportation and as a teacher. At the Charlotteown junior high school where Underhay taught, students and staff planned to wear green T-shirts on election day in his memory.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau tweeted his condolences, calling the accident “absolutely heartbreaking.” He praised Underhay’s commitment to serving his community and his students.

On Sunday, several Green Party of P.E.I. candidates met with grief counsellors at the provincial campaign office in downtown Charlottetown. Campaign offices are open, but the rah-rahs and enthusiasm that are par for the course in any election weren’t in evidence. “It’s been quiet,” said party communications director Shannon Carmont. “We’ve not had a large public presence here in the campaign office.”

Some were quietly showing support by donating to the GoFundMe page for Underhay’s family, his wife Karri Shea and younger son Linden, which by Monday had raised nearly $82,000.

Amid the sense of loss, the election carries potentially historic implications, as islanders are poised to vote in Canada’s first Green government. Bevan-Baker, a Scottish-born dentist, had been rising in popularity in the polls for more than a year.

He was one of two Green MLAs in the provincial assembly when the election writ dropped, while the governing Liberals had 16, the Progressive Conservatives had eight and one member was sitting as an independent. But two recent polls put the Green party ahead of the three other parties on the island, raising the possibility of a win or at least a minority government. The last time P.E.I. elected a minority was 1890.

An MQO Research poll found the Green Party had a robust lead with 40 per cent of the vote, while the Progressive Conservatives had 29 per cent, Liberals 26 per cent and the NDP 3 per cent. The margin of error is 5.7 percentage points.

A Narrative Research poll sponsored by P.E.I.’s provincial newspaper, The Guardian, found the Greens with 35 per cent, PC’s with 32, Liberals with 29 and the NDP at 3. The poll has a 4.5-point margin of error.

Islanders have been electing either Liberal or Conservative governments since Confederation, Canadian Press noted in a recent analysis, with governments regularly being replaced after three terms since the mid-60s.
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The Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island wins its first minority government since the Island's 1890 general election; while the Green Party of Prince Edward Island has beaten the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party by taking most of all their seats and becoming the province's new Official Opposition party, a first for any Green Party in North America.