The NDP substantially increased its support across the country Monday night, and the new electoral district of Thunder Bay-Rainy River was no exception.
Preliminary results put candidate John Rafferty second here with 10,602 votes, or about 30 percent of the popular vote.
That’s a substantial increase from the 2000 election, when NDP candidate Rick Baker earned 19.5 percent of the vote in the old Thunder Bay-Atikokan while Susan Barclay garnered 21.53 percent in Kenora-Rainy River.
“I’m very pleased with all of the polls and all of the folks outside of Thunder Bay. They came across in spades,” Rafferty said at the Lakehead Labour Centre on Monday night where he and his supporters watched the results on television.
“They were very supportive and certainly the work that everybody did in the Fort Frances, Rainy River area, and Atikokan—they did their best, we did our best.
“It just appears that folks in Thunder Bay itself were not ready to get rid of the Liberals,” he added. “So, I’m particularly pleased with all of the voters outside of Thunder Bay and the choices they made.”
Rafferty remained optimistic about the party, seeing the marked increase in voter support as a sign of things to come.
“It appears that the Canadian public, in general, has given us a strong voice, and I think that that strong voice will be good for Canada,” he noted.
“I do believe in our platform,” he added. “We have a wonderful platform and I think Jack Layton and the rest of the NDP members are going to be able to get a lot of good work done for Canadians across the country.”
Rafferty said he’s unsure at this point whether he will run again in the next election, but cited Dave Shannon, the riding association’s president, as a strong possible candidate.
“I would like to say that Dave Shannon . . . should he choose, would be a wonderful candidate in the next election,” Rafferty noted. “He’s intelligent and caring and has a real social conscience, and I think that he’d be a wonderful choice if it comes to that.”
In the meantime, Rafferty said he hopes the new Liberal MP Boshcoff will vigorously represent the best interests of this riding.
“I hope that Ken is going to be an active member and I hope that he doesn’t forget about the western part of the riding,” he remarked. “I hope that he ensures that the things that need to be done get done.”
Rafferty cited issues like jobs, economic development, and health care as the most pressing issues for the riding.
“I hope he pursues answers to them and solutions to them vigorously. I know I would have,” Rafferty said.
—With files from Jessica A. Wilson
Fort Frances Times
Local News from Across the Rainy River District
