It’s been a late night and early morning for Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke’s newly elected MP Stephanie McLean.
After winning almost half of her riding’s votes – 20 points ahead of the Conservatives’ Grant Cool – McLean celebrated her landslide win with her party, family and loved ones after a weeks-long campaign.
“Last night was absolutely amazing,” she told Saanich News on April 29. “Everybody was elated at the success. So many people put in hours and hours of hard work, pounding the pavement, making phone calls, handing out literature, and talking to voters. To see our work pan out is very satisfying.”
But McLean doesn't have much time to bask in the thrill of an election victory, she knows she has her work cut out ahead of her
“This election wasn’t a sunny-day-type of election. This is a situation where we're facing very serious threats, and we need to face them head-on.”
A labour lawyer by trade and former Alberta MLA, she said her focus is now locked in on her constituency.
“I’m ready to offer up my skill set, abilities and experience to the prime minister and my colleagues,” said McLean. “I’ll do whatever I can to be available and to represent Canadians and our Canadian identity.”
While she acknowledged the challenges ahead, McLean said she will prioritize working with fellow MPs to protect the economy at the federal, provincial and local levels from the impacts of Trump’s trade war.
“Affordability has been a serious challenge for Canadians, and Donald Trump is intent on making it worse,” said McLean. “[We will be] finding ways to make life more affordable in the wake of Donald Trump's plans and looking to the expertise of Prime Minister Carney to be able to deliver that for the constituents of Esquimalt-Saanich-Sooke.”
With 233 of 234 polls reporting, McLean had 36,123 votes (49.4 per cent), ahead of the Conservatives’ Grant Cool with 21,014 (28.7 per cent), Maja Tait of the NDP with 13,631 (18.6 per cent), the Greens’ Ben Homer-Dixon at 1,952, David Schaafsma of the Christian Heritage Party with 159, Independent Param Bhatti at 150 and Communist Robert Crooks with 136.
