Lukiwski Dances To Re-Election Win
By Robert Thomas
As CTV's federal election coverage scrolled from Ontario to Regina Wascana the 30 plus people present erupted into cheers as the fate of veteran Saskatchewan Liberal MP Ralph Goodale was announced.
“Wow” one of the attendees said when the veteran Liberal lost by thousands of votes.
It was just one of a few moments of applause as re-elected MP Tom Lukiwski with his supporters and volunteers gathered at Temple Gardens Mineral Spa.
As of midnight, with only a five polls remaining to be counted, Lukiwski had garnered 30,148 votes to cruise to his re-election victory in the Moose Jaw-Lake Centre - Lanigan riding with his closest rival Talon Regent of the NDP getting 7,235 votes.
The Conservatives picked up about 7,000 more votes versus their 2015 results and the NDP slipped just over 2,000 votes from their 2015 election showing.
Overall the Parties nationally saw the Liberals with 157 seats, the Conservatives with 122 seats, the NDP had 24 seats, the Bloc Quebecois had 32, the Greens had 3 seats and one Independent candidate was re-elected.
A total of 170 seats is required to hold a majority.
Tom Lukiwski (left) takes to a supporter while watching election coverage - MJ Independent
Speaking to the Conservative faithful Lukiwski spoke with confidence in a win which saw the Conservatives locally expand their vote total from 2015.
“It's an election we felt pretty good about and never thought we would get so much support locally,” Lukiwski said adding “this is the best team I have had in six elections.”
He called it a “bittersweet situation” as the Conservatives had made gains but the Liberals had managed to pull off a minority government.
“One really good thing thing we defeated Ralph Goode,” Lukiwski said as his supporters cheered.
“I won't do my happy dance as I have already done it so I won't be doing it again,” he said to more applause.
Speaking to MJ Independent Lukiwski said ‘it is obviously a bittersweet moment. It's good to see the Liberals reduced to a minority but we wanted to form government.”
“If anyone were to say just 12 months ago that the Liberals would be knocked off from a majority nobody would believe you. Quite frankly they cratered.”
Lukiwski said the Conservatives would be an effective opposition with the increase in the caucus. But with that said the Party had lost some good caucus members such as Deputy Leader Lisa Raitt.
“I think the world of her.”
Asked about the Conservatives sweeping all 14 Saskatchewan and all 34 Alberta seats Lukiwski said “obviously it is most pleasant to win 14 out of 14 seats.”
Despite the convincing win in the oil and gas regions of Western Canada Lukiwski said he fears a split in national unity.
“What I fear with this convincing win there is going to be talk of Western Separation…there is so much anger out there…the main concern with the large numbers is (the threat to) national unity.”
The main reason for the reversals for the NDP and Liberals in Saskatchewan did not do well as they could have because they were opposed to resource production in a region where it is highly important.
“Both the Liberals and NDP did not have messages which resonated with voters in a resource producing region…it was not a good message.”
Asked to speculate how long the minority government might last he felt it would last longer than the 18 months most traditionally do.
“This will last for some time as the Liberals won enough seats to only need the support of one Party the NDP. So long as the NDP does not demand too much this government should last longer than most minority governments.”
About the drop in support for the NDP to about 15 - 16 percent Lukiwski said he expected a spillover into the provincial fortunes of the NDP in next year's provincial election.
Lukiwski said the issue which hurt the NDP in Saskatchewan was the carbon tax.
“It doesn't do the NDP any good in the province.”