With mail-in-ballots yet to be counted, BC Liberal incumbent Mike Morris is the preliminary leader in Prince George-Mackenzie.
But with over 50 per cent of the vote from ballots tallied from Advance Voting and Election Day today (Oct. 24) Canadian Press projecting Morris as the winner of the seat.
NDP candidate Joan Atkinson, who is also the Mayor of Mackenzie, is the runner up in the riding with about 30 per cent of the vote. Though Atkinson wasn't able to upset the BC Liberal seat in the riding, Canadian Press is projecting a B.C. NDP majority government for the province.
"I’m grateful for the support I’ve had in the Prince George-Mackenzie riding and to keep representing everyone to the best of my ability but I'm a little disappointed to see some of the results down south so far, but it ain’t over until it’s all counted," says Morris, in an interview with PrinceGeorgeMatters.
He says he's disappointed that with a possible majority the NDP will be able to put through bills without any impediment from the BC Liberals or the BC Greens.
"We will just have to hang onto our hats and see what kind of legislation they have in store for British Columbians," says Morris, adding that calling a snap election during the pandemic was political opportunism.
"It was to take advantage of people reluctant to vote because of COVID-19, to take advantage of the fact that we can’t campaign like we would normally do and, I think, John Horgan was taking advantage of the reputation that Dr. Bonnie Henry had as a provincial health officer in the way that she has done a great job looking after the health issues for the province here."
First elected in 2013 Morris will now be serving this third term as an MLA for Prince George-Mackenzie and his second term in opposition.
"I’d still like to make it clear to the folks in the legislature that we have issues with up here with forestry, I’d like to see a diversified economy from the resource sector take place. I’d like to see a petrochemical industry come forward here so I am going to be aggressively pursuing those things for the central interior and for British Columbia," says Morris.
"It's very humbling once again to be supported by so many people in Prince George –Mackenzie, hopefully, I won’t disappoint them sitting as an opposition member for the next four years."
Morris says he is also happy to be joined by B.C. Liberal candidate Shirley Bond who was re-elected in neighbouring Prince George-Valemount for her sixth term.
"Shirley is a long time MLA she has a lot of wisdom and experience to bring to the table," says Morris.
As of Oct. 23 at 11:59 p.m., Elections BC says they have received 497,900 vote-by-mail packages out of the 724,279 voters in the province that requested a ballot.
Prince George-Mackenzie has a registered voter total of 34,433 with 4,652 requesting vote-by-mail packages which equals 13.5 per cent.
IMPORTANT NOTE / NOTE TO READERS about mail-in ballots: Due to the anticipated number of mail-in ballots, the election night vote count will not be complete. The Canadian Press will continue to publish updated riding results to the map and banners as available until counting is complete
