https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JZstw2uuKRc&feature=youtu.be
By Brendan Burke [1]
BELLEVILLE – Liberal candidate Kim Rudd is the MP-elect for the newly-formed Northumberland-Peterborough South riding.
Rudd received a total of 23,976 votes and won by 975, or 41.8 per cent of the vote, over Tory nominee Adam Moulton.
This will make Rudd Northumberland-Peterborough South’s first ever member of Parliament, a position she says she is honoured to hold.
Speaking at a post-election rally in Port Hope, Rudd thanked supporters – many of whom were noticeably emotional over the narrow win.
“I want to thank each of my fellow candidates for putting their names on the ballot. It is not easy and I command their personal sacrifice to do so,” she said.
Rudd says she is excited about the possibilities that lie ahead.
“For me it’s about helping this riding and the community,” she added.
With early forecasts of a statistical deadlock between Rudd and Moulton at 39.7 per cent of the vote each, the scene was set for a tight, two-way race within the new riding.
The riding [2], established under 2012’s redistribution of federal electoral boundaries [3] in an effort to amalgamate neighbouring regions, is comprised mainly of the now-defunct Northumberland-Quinte West riding, along with districts formerly part of Durham Region and Peterborough County.
Rudd [4], the NDP’s Russ Christianson, [5] Moulton [6] and the Green Party’s Patricia Sinnott [7] were each vying for the spot.
Rudd, a former chair of the Ontario Coalition for Better Child Care, pledged to amend portions of Bill C-51 [8], and aims to strengthen affordable housing with a national commission.
New Democrat nominee and five-time runner Christianson promised to abolish the current first-past-the-post voting system in favour of proportional representation.
MP hopeful Moulton planned to improve regional roadways and bridges while sustaining a healthy economy.
Sinnott proposed $3 billion investment in green infrastructure.
Prior to Northumberland-Peterborough South’s minting, 2011’s federal election yielded strong Conservative support in the area. Rick Norlock defeated Liberal candidate Rudd in Northumberland-Quinte West by a substantial margin.
Rudd’s victory, however, illustrates a shift in the region’s political allegiances – one that reflects the Liberal Party’s nationwide surge.