Wagantall pleased with victory, looks forward to challenging Liberal minority government

“It was an absolutely humbling experience to see the voter turnout and to be able to win with such a resounding percentage of the riding was. As I say, very humbling and empowering,” Wagantall said. “[I] just really have a sense that I have a big responsibility in representing the people of Yorkton-Melville in this minority government situation.”

Wagantall and her husband criss-crossed the massive riding during the campaign, and she said doing so helped her immensely.

“There’s nothing better than speaking to people face-to-face and hearing their thoughts and their concerns and just getting a real sense of how important this election was to them,” she said.

All 14 Saskatchewan ridings were won by the Conservative Party, and they increased their number of seats from 95 at dissolution of Parliament to 121 in last night’s election.

Despite the increase in seats, the Liberals retained the most seats, though they have been reduced to a minority government.

Wagantall said she was pleased to see the Conservatives increase their seat totals.

“We certainly would have preferred ourselves being in that minority position or even a majority, but this is what we have to work with and what Canadians gave us,” Wagantall said.

The electoral map from Manitoba west to B.C. is largely Conservative blue, and the unrest in much of Western Canada has been palpable on social media.

Wagantall isn’t convinced that Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will quell that concern.

“He said in his speech last night ‘Saskatchewan and Alberta, I hear you, and we want to govern for the whole country, and we’re not going to leave you behind’ type of speaking, well clearly that’s what happened four years ago,” Wagantall said. “There’s not a sense of any confidence level that somehow things are going to change, and there’s going to be a desire to listen to what our concerns are out here.”

If Trudeau is serious about listening to the concerns of the West, Wagantall said the first thing he should do is talk with Conservative Leader Andrew Scheer, and team up to get the Trans Mountain pipeline operational as soon as possible.

Wagantall said the ongoing carbon tax issue remains a concern, especially since the Liberals can team up with the NDP and Green Party to ensure that it remains.

“There’s no question that [Trudeau] has a more divisive scenario than ever, and it is his doing,” said Wagantall.

The MP won’t just be sticking around Ottawa though. She pledged to return to Yorkton-Melville as often as possible, and encouraged people to contact her constituency office with any concerns or questions.

The Yorkton-Melville constituency encompasses several local communities, including St. Brieux, Hudson Bay, Porcupine Plain and Watson.

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cam.lee@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @camlee1974

by Cam Lee

Wagantall pleased with victory, looks forward to challenging Liberal minority government

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