Sopuck vows to be strong voice in Opposition

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This article was published 19/10/2015 (3111 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

DAUPHIN — For the first time in his tenure as MP of the Dauphin-Swan River-Neepawa riding, Conservative Robert Sopuck will head to Ottawa as a member of the Opposition.

Sopuck, who first won the seat during a 2010 byelection triggered by the resignation of Inky Mark and then held the seat in the 41st general election in 2011, picked up 15,776 votes with 213/267 polls reporting at press time.

“It’s going to be all right,” Sopuck told supporters who cheered for him following his arrival at his campaign headquarters at the Dauphin Marketplace Mall.

The mood among Sopuck’s 25 supporters was mixed following the announcement Liberal Justin Trudeau would call 22 Sussex Drive home after winning a majority government.

Many Conservative candidates believed they weren’t just running against their opposition candidates but against declining public opinion numbers for their leader during one of the longest elections in modern Canadian history.

Sopuck wouldn’t speculate on leader Stephen Harper’s future.

“I had the honour of working with Prime Minister Harper for five years and I can say without a doubt he will go down in history as one of the greatest prime ministers this country has ever had,” Sopuck said. “I personally want him to stay.”

He also vowed to continue to work hard for the people of the riding, which was previously called Dauphin-Swan River-Marquette. Issues such as income splitting for seniors, the Trans-Pacific Partnership, and the conflict in Ukraine are top of mind for his constituents.

“As Opposition MPs, you’re going to hear a lot from us,” he said.

Sopuck defeated Liberal Ray Piché (9,017 with 213/267 reporting), NDP candidate Laverne Lewycky (3,259), Mark (2,641), and Green Kate Storey (1,207).

Lewycky, who won the 1980 federal election in the riding, said the NDP didn’t do as well as he thought they would locally or nationally.

“It turned into somewhat of a popularity contest (among the leaders of the parties),” Lewycky said from Dauphin Multi-Purpose Senior Centre. “That and I believe there was some strategic voting and people didn’t get the message that (NDP leader) Tom Mulcair was change.”

Mark was dejected by his final numbers, but said he respected the result.

“I”m surprised that a lot of people that said they were going to support me didn’t and I guess it shows that it’s tough to run as an Independent,” he said at a campaign party at the Canway Inn and Suites in Dauphin.

The message he received at the door while campaigning belied the local vote, he said.

“It proves that people put the party first and people second.”

Mark did take some solace knowing Harper had been voted out.

“The ultimate goal was to get rid of Harper and that makes me happy,” he said. “But I’m still disappointed with our results.”

Storey, who spent the evening at her home near Grandview, said the Greens fought a strong election and got key issues such as pharmacare and student debt on the national radar.

It is difficult, however, to see such wide-sweeping change, while, at the same time, having the Greens continue to be shut out from official party status in Ottawa.

“I guess Canada wanted change but the riding didn’t,” Storey said. “A lot of people told me that I was their second choice. First past the post isn’t much help to a party that appeals to most people, but doesn’t have enough concentrated support in one area to get elected.”

Piché did not respond to a media request by press time.

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