SUMMERSIDE, P.E.I. — P.E.I.’s rising Green tide has swept over Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke, unseating veteran Liberal cabinet minister Paula Biggar.
Trish Altass claimed District 23 Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke for her Green party Tuesday night and will join eight other MLAs of that colour in the legislature – a historic number for the party provincially and nationally.
Altass claimed 1,101 votes (35.6 per cent), while second place went to PC candidate Hilton MacLennan with 1,026 votes (33.2 per cent). Third went to Biggar with 882 (28.5 per cent) and “Robin” John Robert Enman of the NDP received 82 votes (2.7) per cent.
“I’m so humbled,” said Altass.
“I’m so excited… because… I really want to do this job. I want to go into the legislature and start to represent all of the people in District 23 and make sure that they and all Islanders can live a healthy life.”
Tyne Valley-Sherbrooke is a new district for the Island. It was part of the reorganization of districts for this election and was previously known as Tyne Valley-Linkletter.
Biggar had held that seat since 2007 when she defeated PC incumbent Philip Brown. She was re-elected in 2011 and 2015, after which she was appointed to cabinet, most recently as minister of transportation, infrastructure and energy and minister responsible for the status of women.
Biggar congratulated Altass for her win and thanked her constituents for their support over the years.
“I want to thank the constituents of District 23 for the honour of representing them. And to all candidates for a great campaign,” said Biggar.
Overall, the PCs secured 12 seats to form a minority government, a first for P.E.I., while the Greens will form the official Opposition with nine seats. The Liberals, who were in a majority government before the writ was dropped, have fallen to third party status with five seats.
