Tories hold Calgary, but cracks appear in bedrock

The solid Alberta bedrock that has been the foundation of the Conservative Party cracked, but mostly held Monday — even as the decade- old Harper government crumbled.

As Justin Trudeau’s Liberals swept the Tories away nationally, Liberal candidates were involved in three close races in Calgary, while the Conservatives took the other seven local seats.

Former Liberal MLA Darshan Kang appeared poised to win in Calgary Skyview against incumbent Tory Devinder Shory, but two other races were too close to call at press time.

Liberal Matt Grant appeared likely to lose to Tory Len Webber in Calgary Confederation after a neck- and- neck battle early in the evening.

And Liberal Kent Hehr, who had been seen as the Grits best hope in the city, took a narrow lead over Conservative incumbent Joan Crockatt in Calgary Centre late in the evening.

The election of even one Liberal would break a nearly 50- year shutout for the party.

Despite holding most of the city, the mood was sombre from the getgo at Conservative headquarters at the Telus Convention Centre as the Liberals swept to power with a majority government.

The Tory party announced Stephen Harper was stepping down as party leader. The prime minister, who was re- elected in Calgary Heritage, said he accepted the defeat.

“The disappointment you also feel is my responsibility and mine alone,” Harper told the crowd.

“But know this for certain, when the next time comes, this party will offer Canadians a strong and clear alternative.”

Tory cabinet minister Jason Kenney, re- elected in Calgary Midnapore, said the party would lick its wounds. The Tories won 102 seats, compared with 184 for the Liberals, and 41 for Tom Mulcair’s NDP.

“Obviously, we regret that the Conservative party won’t be returning to government, but we will be a vigorous opposition,” said Kenney, who was first elected as a Reform MP in 1997.

“I’ve had that role before and I know how to play it pretty well. And so we will soldier on.”

The Grits had been shut out of Alberta since 2006, when Harper’s Conservatives came to power. Calgary had not elected a Liberal since 1968, when Trudeau’s father, Pierre, led the party in his first campaign as leader.

This time, however, a number of seats in both Edmonton and Calgary were being eyed as Liberal gains.

The senior Trudeau became anathema in the city for his Liberal government’s imposition of the National Energy Program in the 1980s, among other policies.

But the younger Trudeau told supporters at a raucous rally in Calgary on Sunday that it was “time to bring the country together,” as he stressed Alberta’s importance to him.

In Calgary Skyview, more than 100 people gathered at Kang’s tiny northeast campaign office and packed an adjacent tent outside to watch results come in — and the Liberals appeared set to win the seat late in the evening.

“I’m feeling great,” said Kang. “I’m hoping for the best. I’m very, very optimistic.”

Tory cabinet minister Michelle Rempel, returned in Calgary Nose Hill, said the Tories retained their strength in Alberta because of the mistrust of the Liberals.

“Albertans have certainly suffered under the Liberals before and Albertans don’t forget,” she said in an interview.

The NDP, which entered the campaign nationally at the top of the polls, had also hoped for a breakthrough in Calgary as part of forming a national government.

Instead, the party was returned to third place in the House of Commons while local candidates gained little traction.

NDP candidate Kirk Heuser, who appeared to be headed to a thirdplace finish in Calgary Confederation, said it appeared support among anti- Conservative voters coalesced around the Liberals.

“People felt they only had two options and they felt they had to vote for one of the two,” Heuser said.

“People wanted change and they went for a different option.”

Conservative supporter Loren Hawley was aghast Monday at the prospect of another Prime Minister Trudeau, describing the younger politician as having “no real work experience.

“It’s going to be overreach, it’s going to be high taxes, they’re going to tax companies and jobs are going to move elsewhere,” he said.

Hawley said Harper had been “one of the best prime ministers we’ve ever had.”

“I think this Harper derangement syndrome is going to cost us large. I really do,” he said.

“It’s just awful.”

It’s going to be overreach, it’s going to be high taxes, they’re going to tax companies and jobs are going to move elsewhere.