Dave Epp has been elected to a third term representing the riding of Chatham-Kent Leamington as its Member of Parliament.
The Conservative Party candidate picked up nearly 58 per cent of the votes in the riding, followed by Liberal candidate Keith Pickard who earned approximately 36 per cent.
Seamus Fleming with the NDP earned roughly four per cent, while PPC candidate Trevor Lee and Green Party candidate James Plunket each had around one per cent of the total votes cast.
With the Liberal Party securing a victory over the Conservatives nationally, Epp will serve as a member of the opposition party in Parliament.
“That’s not the result we were looking for nationally, but my priority remains… to take the voices of Chatham-Kent Leamington to Ottawa,” he said.
While U.S.-imposed tariffs and the threat of annexation by U.S. President Donald Trump dominated the majority of the election, Epp said many of his constituents repeatedly voiced other concerns.
“The key concerns that we heard at the doors, what we heard throughout the campaign, are the same ones we’ve been hearing for several years… the cost of living, the cost of housing, the cost of food,” said Epp. “Obviously the threat of tariffs from Trump, that has exacerbated those cost pressures on folks. The precarity of employment has brought more anxiety. Addressing that will remain a priority.”
Mere months ago, Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre appeared to be the frontrunner to become Canada’s next Prime Minister, according to the polls. However, after former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced his resignation and Mark Carney was elected in the Liberal leadership race, Poilievre’s lead quickly faded.
When asked if he would continue to support Poilievre as leader of the Conservative Party, Epp said he would not commit to a position so soon after the election.
“That is a question that my colleagues and I will discuss going forward,” he said.
The Liberal Party will form a minority government with 168 seats, as of 4:30 Tuesday morning, while the Conservatives hold 144 seats as the official opposition.
Prime Minister Mark Carney won his Nepean seat at Queens Park, however NDP leader Jagmeet Singh failed to win his BC riding and announced early this morning he will be stepping down. Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre currently sits in second behind Liberal Bruce Fanjoy in his riding of Carleton, trailing by less than 4% with several polls still to be counted.