Former police chief Blair takes Scarborough Southwest

'We are all Canadians,' he says in victory over NDP incumbent

Newly elected MP Bill Blair addresses media and supporters at victory party at Qssis Banquet Hall.  Arifa Rattansi/Toronto Observer

Liberal member Bill Blair has won the seat for the Scarborough Southwest district from incumbent NDP candidate Dan Harris.

Harris represented the riding for the past four years, although it had previously been a Liberal area.

At Blair’s victory party, the crowd erupted in cheers when the former police chief entered the room shortly after election results were announced around 11 p.m. at the Qssis Banquet Hall at Markham and Kingston roads.

Blair appeared overwhelmed by the number of family, friends and members of the Scarborough Southwest riding that came to take part in his celebrations.

Blair enters his campaign party at Qssis Banquet Hall at Markham and Kingston Roads.

Blair enters his campaign party at Qssis Banquet Hall at Markham and Kingston Roads.

The district voted 52 per cent in favour of Blair, leaving the incumbent with only 24 per cent of Scarborough Southwest’s support.

“This has been a very long campaign, one of the longest in our history,” Blair said  in his victory speech. “We are very grateful for the support we have received for what appears to be an extraordinary Liberal victory right across this country.”

Under the leadership of the new prime minister of Canada, Justin Trudeau, the Liberals are committed to making investments into the creation of jobs in both the riding and the country.

“Tomorrow when we wake up, we are all Canadians … and we all must come together to fulfill the promises that have been made,” Blair said.

He said there’s an enormous amount of work to do but it will be accomplished by the community as a whole.

“Tomorrow, there are no Liberal, Conservative or NDP members,” Blair said. “There are Canadians, and we will all go forward together.”

About this article

By: Arifa Rattansi
Posted: Oct 19 2015 11:34 pm
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Filed under: Canada Votes 2015 News
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