The Liberal Party of Ontario held on to a party stronghold in the capital with Nathalie Des Rosiers' byelection win Thursday.
Unofficial results show Des Rosiers finishing with 48.56 per cent of the vote. Progressive Conservative and former Ontario ombudsman Andre Marin came in with 29.85 per cent, the NDP's Claude Bisosn finished with 15.03 per cent and the Green Party's Raphael Morin took up 3.22 per cent of the ballots.
Des Rosiers, University of Ottawa law dean and a former civil rights lawyer, says issues of inequality will be a priority in her new role. She says fighting to end violence against women, integration of immigrants, fighting racism and ensuring the human rights commission’s recommendations are always followed are among the issues she wants to focus on.
“I want to acknowledge what's happened in Ottawa with anti-Semitism so I think we know that we have to continue to fight for an inclusive society. It's for all of us," she said referring to several incidents of white supremacist graffiti in the last week.
Premier Kathleen Wynne says she's "so happy" to have Des Rosiers join her caucus.
"She is a fantastic advocate for all of the values that we stand for and I'm just thrilled," she said. "It's been a great campaign and we're very, very happy to have her come to Queen's Park."
The byelection was called earlier in the fall to replace longtime MPP and cabinet minister Madeleine Meilleur. She says Des Rosiers will be a great fit for the riding.
"She's very well qualified. She's very competent," she said. "The people of Ottawa-Vanier will be well taken-care of."
Meilleur served the area for 25 years. She was first elected to Vanier's municipal council in 1991, became an Ottawa city councillor after amalgamation in 2001, and became an MPP in 2003.
"I wanted to make sure the person who will take over will have the same ambitions for Ottawa-Vanier and the same values," she said. "Nathalie is that type of person."
.@Kathleen_Wynne, @ndesrosiers,and @m_meilleur arrive at the Vanier Knights of Columbus. #ottnews #ottawavanier pic.twitter.com/Hhu9hSDfXu
— 580 CFRA (@CFRAOttawa) November 18, 2016
While spirits were high at the Knights of Columbus where Des Rosier's victory party was taking place, it wasn't all good news for the Liberals Thursday. They failed to take one seat away from the Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, who held on to Tim Hudak's former riding of Niagara-West Glanbrook. The new MPP for that riding, Sam Oosterhoff, will be the youngest person to sit in Ontario's legislature at only 19 years old.
They've now lost two of three byelections that've happened since September. With her approval rating down to only 14 per cent, Wynne dodged questions about the fate of her premiership ahead of the 2018 general election.
"We're going to Queen's Park to work. That's what we're doing," she said. "Tomorrow morning we get up and our work continues and our work continues with a new, strong member of the team."
The PC Party issued a statement saying this election was the party's strongest showing in the riding they call a "Liberal fortress" since 1967, finishing within 19 per cent of the Liberals. In 2014, they finished within 33.3 per cent of the governing party.