Lac La Biche – St. Paul – Two Hills has a new MLA after Monday's provincial election.
Wildrose candidate Shayne Saskiw won with 5,949 votes (47 per cent), followed by PC candidate Ray Danyluk 5,418 (42 per cent), Liberal candidate John Nowak with 704 (5.5 per cent) and NDP candidate Phil Johnson with 706 (5.5 per cent), according to unofficial results at press deadline.
The Progressive Conservatives won 62 seats for the party's 12th consecutive majority government. Wildrose won 17 seats and will form the official opposition. NDP took four seats and the Liberals also won four.
Saskiw thanked volunteers and family for supporting the campaign in a speech following the results at the Centennial Senior Citizens Centre in St. Paul on Monday night around 11:20 p.m.
“We made a difference here today. They're going to be held to account over the next four years," he said.
“Our team is just ecstatic. We had the best team in Alberta," praised the new MLA, after a victory speech.
Saskiw thanked Progressive Conservative candidate Ray Danyluk and his wife Lorraine for their years of service, and for the hard work Danyluk has put in throughout the constituency.
Saskiw said the results showed Albertans want to give the Wildrose more time before trusting the party with a majority.
“As the MLA I will be standing up for all constituents regardless of who they voted for or who they supported. Right now it's time that we work together to do what's right for the community."
“At the end of the day, the people of Lac La Biche – St. Paul – Two Hills just voted in an opposition MLA, and that's fine, I'm OK," said Danyluk on Monday.
“My world will change," Danyluk told the crowd of supporters that filled the St. Paul campaign office. “I am so proud of the group that worked here. We ran what I think was the cleanest campaign in the world, the best campaign in the world."
“This province and this government will still take care of this area."
“Oh my," said Premier Alison Redford, who along with all party leaders won her seat. She spoke of unity and prosperity in the best province in the best country in the world.
“Today Alberta you spoke, and you spoke loudly. I want to tell you I heard you," she said.
“Well tonight folks we found out change might take a little longer than we thought," said Wildrose leader Danielle Smith, addressing her new constituency. She described the PCs as a “formidable opponent."
“Today I stand at the helm of the official opposition," she said.
NDP leader Brian Mason and Liberal leader Raj Sherman won their seats.
Elections Alberta reported Lac La Biche – St. Paul – Two Hills had 67 per cent voter turnout with 12,777 voters.
