NDP candidate Anne Marie Sam did not manage to unseat incumbent Liberal John Rustad in the Nechako Lakes riding last night but says she’s grateful to have had the opportunity to run.
“For me the campaign was an amazing experience – meeting people and going out into the riding. I’m a from here – I live in Fort St. James. I grew up here – this is home for me.”
While she didn’t get the result she was hoping for in Nechako Lakes, was pleased with her party’s showing province-wide.
“It’s a very clear message of people wanting change, wanting a different way of having a government in BC and I’m very excited with all of my colleagues in the NDP party that got elected.”
Sam did lead the race briefly but Rustad pulled ahead in the end. Rustad congratulated Sam on what he described as a “clean campaign.”
“It was tight but, in the end, like I say, I’m very thankful and grateful to the voters of Nechako Lakes who returned me to be their voice in Victoria for the next of time. I really want to thank my campaign team. I’m very honored and humbled to have the opportunity to return to representing the riding of Nechako Lakes for the period of time.”
However, the provincial results were very different and Rustad acknowledges that voters seem to have had change on the mind.
“Clearly, the voters had a number of issues that they were looking at, provincially. I mean, we have the strongest economy in the country, we’re doing well on all economic categories but the voters were concerned about other things as well. My hope is that at end of the day, we will have an opportunity still to be able to carry on with being government and to be able carry on with the record that we have, balancing our budget and being able to have a strong economy.”
Rustad was first elected in 2005 in the Prince George Omineca riding, which was dissolved in 2009. He has served as the Minister of Aboriginal Relations and Reconciliation since 2013.