BREAKING NEWS: Shea wins recount TERESA WRIGHT The Guardian
Conservative Gail Shea has once again been declared winner of the federal riding of Egmont.
The judicial recount of votes cast on Oct. 14 in Egmont began this morning in Summerside and ended just a short time ago. The new count has given Shea a 55 vote victory over her opponent, Liberal candidate Keith Milligan.
Shea won the riding on election night by 62 votes, but Milligan requested a judicial recount late last week due to the closeness of the vote and after he became aware of some alleged discrepancies at the polls in that riding on election night.
As a result of this recount, Milligan did gain seven more votes than he had after the general election. But it wasn’t enough to change the outcome.
Milligan said he didn’t expect a change in the overall result, but simply felt the recount was necessary due to the small margin of Shea’s victory.
“I’m not surprised. I think it was a reasonable exercise to go through, but now we move on,” he said.
“It’s kind of a closure, if you would. And now we move on to the rest of our lives and new challenges.”
Shea said she’s relieved to have been given the final word that she is, indeed, the winner.
“It’s great to get that behind us. But I’m ready to move on.”
She plans to head to Ottawa next week to set up her office and get oriented to her new job.
“It’ll be a week of getting to know my way around.”
For more details on the Egmont recount, check out tomorrow's edition of The Guardian.
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observerfromstratford from PEI writes: Keith: It is time to get over yourself. You are not as important as you thought you were yesterday. It was a waste of tax payers money. What arrogance!! Good Luck Gail. I am sure you will work hard for your riding
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Blaine from Summerside, P.E.I. writes: Hooray....Milligan loses AGAIN!!
I suspect he'll be going the judicial route now....I can't imagine him doing the classy thing and actually visiting Ms. Shea to offer congratulations....maybe Harper should give him a Senate seat as he has been very good for the Conservatives since 1996!!
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RG from PEI writes: Did they just do a recount, or did they check to make sure no more dead people voted this time around?
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gordon bain from Richmond, PEI writes: Closure indeed. Time to move on, yes!
Everyone regardless of political stripe needs to bring their best to the table, and quickly. These are harrowing times, and we all need to pull together both at home and in Ottawa.
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Garth Staples from Chtown, PE writes: Congratulations Gail!
I suspect Keith was acting on information from a scrutineer.
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happy happy from pei writes: way to go gail.... congrats again
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eddie pawtucket from banff, AB writes: I'm pretty sure that Mr. Milligan pays the costs related to the recount if the outcome doesn't change. Concidering the discrepancies at the poll (a deceased person voting for one) I think the recount was justified and had nothing to do with Mr. Milligan's arrogance. Maybe you should get over yourself, observerfromstratford.
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CJ from PEI writes: Congratulations again Gail. Your a real go-getter and I know you will work hard to represent PEI in Ottawa. You go girl!!!
Keith, don't let the door hit your a-- on the way out.
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Take the easy road from Charlottetown, PEI writes: Milligan is wise to cut his losses.
If he's still interested there should be another opportunity within two years.
He's 55 votes back with the government dealing with a big recession. He also has Brownie points with the party for stepping in when the original candidate (ungraciously) backed out.
Let's see what the voters say when unemployment hits 15% on the Island and who knows what in Egmont.
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WIDE BELLY from Charlottetown, PEI writes: Yeah, the Shea win was a real landslide - 55 votes and that is down from 62 before the recount. For all of the people expecting great things from her they should think again. If history is any guide anyone who enters the Harper caucus or cabinet ranks is never heard from again. He is a one man show so what makes people think Shea will do all these wonderful things people are expecting of her?
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Steve from PEI writes: and what makes you think any Liberal will do any good ? Haven't done a whole heck of a lot in the past few years except whine and complain...
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Garth Staples from Chtown, PE writes: Two contributors to this site have repeated the charge that a 'dead' person voted. How would a candidate have any knowledge that this occurred other then through his/her representative at the poll? Could not that rep. have crossed off the incorrect name?
Knowledge of how the system works would be an asset before charges are made.
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Bored from PEI writes: I bet, if we actually checked, there was probably more than a 1000 dead voting across the country on Oct 14. The only reason it was discovered (and newsworthy) was because Keith wanted a recount. Also, 100 rejected ballots sounds pretty average.
No change is no surprise to Keith, Gail and Elections Canada. So why did they do it?? There IS a reason Elections Canada sets the mandatory recount at a margin of 0.1%.
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jackie from pei writes: Gail will soon be the Minister of Office Supplies in Mr. Harpers cabinet !
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real canadian from ontario writes: well wide belly dosnrt matter if it was one vote gail won and for the on man show you may be right because good old jean shared all our tax payers money to their near and dear friends apparently he wasnt a one man show
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Become educated from charlottetown, pei writes: It really surprises me how little people on these message boards really pay attention to what is really going on with all our elected officials, and comment based on their own personal view from the party they support. It is actually very standard for close vote counts to be re-counted (especially if there have been discrepancies noted at the time of voting). I believe (correct me if I am wrong) that there were 4 re-counts throughout the country on close voter counts.
Doing a recount is not just to satisfy the person that is running, but also the party that they are running for, and ultimately all those tax-payers that did vote for them. All tax-payers need to know how their vote counted ultimately at the end of any election.
I would like to congratulate Gail on her win and also congratulate Keith for his hard work during the election race. Obviously by the voter count, both candidates were well liked and hopefully Islanders will see some benefits at a time when the Island and the country is struggling. We need all elected officials to forge ahead and to do the job they were elected to do.
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What s Wrong With This Picture From from Stratford, PE writes: I understood that when you voted this time that you required a picture ID and another piece of ID. What's going on with the Greatful Dead! Did it really happen? I don't think so! Someone trying to sensationalize a stir-up to get a recount! I'm glad they did the recount and I knew Gail Shea would still win the riding of Egmont. Way to go Gail! You'll not forget your constituents and Islanders, as a whole.
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WIDE BELLY ??? from PE writes: Gail has certainly proven that she is no pushover. She went to charlottetown and fought tooth and nail for all she brought west so she has already proven her abilities to make things happen. As far as vote numbers GAIL had a wide margin to overcome from the last election. 4300.. That tells you something. It was a tremendous win. Gail will do wonders in Ottawa.
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givur headashake from pei writes: A dismal outcome to a dismal election. I
agree there will be another election in a couple of years--I hope there are new leaders for both lib/conserv parties by then. It is clear that Dion is not going to make a leader,but if Harper cant get a majority against him it is time for him to spool his rags as well.As for Gail you now have a chance to see if you can cut it .I wish you the best but i am afraid you will be trampled in the big league.
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Ollie from PE writes: There sure are ungracious people in our province - regardless of who won in Egmont I think both should be thanked for taking the time to run. Being a politician is a thankless job and anyone who will run these days are hero's - I am sure Gail will do a good job as will all other candidates going to Ottawa from PEI.
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Melody Bernard from PE writes: Keith, let it go. You Lost, just go away. If you cared for the people of Egmont you wouldn't have asked for the recount. The people are better served with a sitting member of parliament. If you would have been organized enough and had enough people in the polls election night and you would have known you lost. Give it up! You seem like a sore loser and no one likes that. Even those people from your own party.
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Blaine from Summerside, P.E.I. writes: The Liberal bastion of Egmont has fallen....oh how it must pain Liberal partisans....a 55 vote win is huge when the margin of victory for McGuire in '06 was almost 5,000 votes!!
Did someone say if Milligan is still interested he could run again in two years time ....that's too funny....I would think after losing the nomination and then the election not once but TWICE he has had his fill of rejection....but then again for the Tories sake I hope he comes back....just like Dion!!
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Bill B from Western, PEI writes: lucky she never run against Bob Morrissey,there would not have been a recount needed, she only beat Keit by 55 votes and Morrissey beat keith on a 1st ballot vote last yr, so imagine how bad Morrissey would have beated Gail
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James Follwell from Fullerton's Marsh, PEI writes: The confirmation of the outcome in Egmont is a testament to the essential functionality, integrity, and reliability of the Canadian electoral system. Contrast this with the fragmented system with myriad ballot formats, and the never ending debate about election fraud in the US and other nations. Our elections are short, cost effective, and honest. . Congrats Canadians!
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duckwacker99 from from the isle of prince e writes: well well.,.,one never knows Gail may get a new cabinet post in ottawa maybe even the minister of fisheries and with the depression comming on you never know she might close some more fish plants like the one in her riding when the goverment made the BIG deal with Polar foods.,.but you never know she may not have time to close to many as we will be back at it again in the next two years
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Shelley from PEI writes: LIKE wow. Lil'ole, CON party Gail Shea hit's THE BIG TIME on lil'ole PEI - the tiniest province in Canada AND It IS Canadian's biggest welfare province.
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Congratulations Gail! from Charlottetown, PE writes: Steve, my MP earned his pay. Well, actually, he either abstained or was absent for 43 votes last session, but for $155,000 we were advised to hang an ex Prime Minister. On second thought, Gail could do almost nothing and still do better than that.
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jean elmer from summerside, pei writes: I only pray that Harper is smart enough to keep this unqualified politician out of cabinet! I will be calling the Prime Ministers office and I urge others to let Harper know that we DO NOT want Gail Shea in cabinet.
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