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Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservatives have picked up a seat in the province’s newest and smallest riding.
Claude Bourgeois, a local business owner, garnered 48.76 per cent of the vote to win Tuesday’s byelection in the riding of Chéticamp-Margarees-Pleasant Bay, the province’s 56th seat in the House of Assembly.
“It was a great surprise,” Bourgeois told CBC News in an interview on Tuesday night.
The riding was created to better represent Acadians and francophones in the area. Past voting patterns favoured a Bourgeois win — the area used to be part of the riding of Inverness, which has been represented by the PC party since 1999.
“It’s about preserving what we have and saying to people, yes, it’s OK to be a Acadian and be here and be strong,” Bourgeois said.
The turnout of eligible voters was 68.81 per cent, with 2,697 of 3,966 registered voters casting a ballot.
In an interview with the CBC’s Kyle Moore, Claude Bourgeois shares what it means to have a riding that represents Acadians.
Liberal candidate Denis Cormier came in second place with 40.04 per cent of the vote. Cormier gave a concession speech to his supporters at Belle View Restaurant in Belle Cote.
NDP candidate Trevor Poirier was in third place with 9.57 per cent and Green candidate Nik Boisvert was in fourth with 1.63 per cent of the vote.
The new seat means the Nova Scotia Tories hold 43 of the 56 seats in the province, adding to the supermajority they won in the 2024 election.
The NDP hold nine seats, the Liberals hold three seats and one seat is held by an Independent MLA.
Three voters told CBC News on Thursday this election feels different because of the new riding and new excitement with local candidates.
“It’s quite different because there’s more local guys running than before. Usually it’s people from out of town,” said Robert LeBlanc.
Jenna LeBlanc said candidates were knocking on doors, something that she hasn’t experienced in past elections but thinks is a good thing.
“It’s not what we’ve usually seen. No matter the outcome, we’re going to be well represented as Acadians.”
Jennifer Bourgeois agreed.
“We get to know the candidate and get to know who you’re voting for,” Bourgeois said.
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