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Not strong enough

The three who failed to knock off incumbent Alex Atamanenko on Monday speak about what went wrong.
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Conservative candidate Stephen Hill did not build too much on the support given to Rob Zandee in the last election.

The three candidates who were hoping voters in the Southern Interior would send them to Ottawa on Monday remained upbeat in the face of a crushing defeat by incumbent Alex Atamanenko.

With more than 50 per cent of the popular vote in the massive riding that stretches from Kaslo to Princeton, the NDP incumbent solidified his hold on the riding, romping to an easy victory.

Runner up Stephen Hill met with about 20 Conservative Party supporters at Rave’s Restaurant in Trail, resigned as he watched Atamanenko cruise to victory but at the same time elated with the Conservative majority.

“It couldn’t be better. We wiped out the Bloc, we wiped out the Liberals and we’ve got a majority government for four more years — that’s perfect,” Hill told the Trail Daily Times.

“What I was trying to get across to people is ‘Do we want to be part of that or continue to be on the wrong side of the government?’”

Hill could only muster just under 39 per cent of the vote in the Southern Interior as he became the third straight Tory to be defeated by Atamanenko.

A feisty campaigner, the Rossland resident remained critical of the NDP’s performance in the riding for the last six years, suggesting Atamanenko may even retire before his third term is complete.

“We have the highest unemployment rate in British Columbia, we’ve lost 7,000 jobs in the last two years and half of downtown Trail is closed — it’s pretty obvious,” he said.

Green Party candidate Bryan Hunt was disappointed with his showing — only managing to capture just over six per cent of the vote — but was complimentary of Atamanenko in defeat.

“If the riding wasn’t going to elect me, I think Alex is a pretty good second choice,” Hunt told the Star from his home in Calgary. “He has done a pretty good job, he is a nice guy and an honest guy. Those are important traits and I can appreciate why people would vote for him.”

Hunt grew up in the Kaslo area, but was chosen as the Green Party’s candidate when no local residents stepped forward.

“Obviously I was hoping for a bit better,” he said of the tallies from Monday night. “I was hoping to give the Conservatives a good whooping and that didn’t happen. But I made some good inroads.”

In travelling around the riding over the last few weeks, Hunt was encouraged by those who supported the Green platform.

“What really needs to be done in this riding is to wean people off of strategic voting. That’s what really hurt my campaign here more than anything else,” he said. “I heard so often from people on one side that said ‘I’m a Green supporter and you are who I want to vote for, but I’m so afraid the Conservatives are going to get in that I’m going to vote for Alex.’

“And the other side says ‘I want to vote for you, but we need a majority Conservative government so I am voting for Stephen.’ A lot of their votes went to Alex or Stephen, but really they are cancelling each other out.”

On the plus side, Hunt was pleased with the outcome in Saanich-Gulf Islands where Elizabeth May became the first Green Party member ever elected to Parliament in Canada.

“I’m thrilled,” said Hunt. “I don’t think this country could have a better Member of Parliament than Elizabeth May. She is a real genuine individual… She is an honest and caring and passionate person. That one riding is a signal to the world that we are not all backwards in this country.”

With the foothold now in Ottawa, Hunt said he wouldn’t hesitate to return to the ring if asked by the local executive.

“I’m certainly willing to fight the fight because BC Southern Interior is the land I feel most connected with in the entire world,” he said. “That is the land I feel most passionate about protecting and the people I feel the most passionate about working for. So if they want me again, I would be ready.”

Liberal Shan Lavell — a parachute candidate from the Kelowna area — finished last in the race with just under four per cent of the vote.

“I think people chose who they wanted by who they know. Alex had put in the most work with the most people over the years,” Lavell told the Star from her home in the Okanagan.

Despite being a late entry into the race and not overly familiar with the riding, Lavell said she felt she had a chance to win on Monday night.

“In the heart of a candidate you think you are going to win,” she said. “Like the rest of my colleagues across the country, I really liked this current platform and this current leader.”

Undeterred, Lavell said she would continue to be involved in politics.

“The work for me ongoing is to bring the business and social sectors together and with that will come the environment,” she said.

With all 255 polls reporting, Atamanenko won with 25,176 votes to Hill’s 19,276. Hunt managed 3,173 and Lavell was at the bottom with 1,872.

The Liberal candidate in the 2008 election, Brenda Jagpal, also got the fewest votes of the major parties with 3,292.

Atamanenko won with 22,693 votes, Conservative Rob Zandee drew 17,122, Green Andy Morel earned 4,573 and Marxist-Leninist candidate Brian Sproule only 80.

Turnout Monday was a little over 66 per cent. Regional breakdowns were not immediately available.

With files from Valerie Rossi and Jim Bailey, Trail Daily Times