BY KEITH LACEY
Ray Bonin is calm and cool most of the time, but admits he was extremely nervous as election results poured in Monday night.
 |
Nickel Belt Liberal MP Ray Bonin celebrates his re-election with his grandchildren, Maxime (left), Patrice, Philippe, and Nicholas. Many of the Liberal Members of Parliament he served with since 1993 will not be returning to Ottawa. |
It wasn?t until almost two hours after the polls closed that the 63-year-old veteran Liberal MP got confirmation he had managed to edge out an impressive challenge by New Democrat Claude Gravelle in Nickel Belt.
Nickel Belt is a swing riding that has been represented by both the Liberals and Conservatives during the past several decades. Bonin has represented the riding since 1993.
?I didn?t feel secure all night, but I was confident that once results from Sturgeon Falls and West Nipissing came in that I?d pull ahead and that?s exactly what happened,? said Bonin, who edged Gravelle by about 1,500 votes. His lead was very slim, less than 100 votes, around 11 pm before
late poll results started pouring in.
As results came, Bonin and his support team, including his wife, two daughters, sons-in law and four grandchildren, remained quiet as he and Gravelle exchanged the lead numerous times.
?That?s as close as it gets...I didn?t see this coming,? said Bonin, breathing a heavy sigh of relief after officially being declared the winner. ?I thought we were much further ahead (while on the campaign trail).?
Bonin congratulated Gravelle on running a strong campaign and thanked his own large team of supporters for their hard work during a long and difficult campaign.
?It was an excellent campaign...a clean campaign,? he said.
For the first time in his career, Bonin will be a member of the opposition and admits that?s going to be a difficult challenge.
Bonin said his priority as an opposition member will be to serve his constituents across Nickel Belt, one of the largest geographic ridings in the
country, to the best of his ability.
?I will continue to concentrate my efforts here in Nickel Belt...I?m not good at criticizing other people (in Ottawa)...that?s not my style,? said Bonin.
Because the Conservatives and Stephen Harper managed only a slight minority government, Bonin said he?s sure there will be another federal election in the next two years to 30 months.
Bonin said the Liberals paid dearly for the infamous sponsorship scandal.
?Many people told me they still support me but couldn?t vote Liberal (because of the scandal) and others who support me said they simply wouldn?t vote,? said Bonin.
 |
?Our (campaign) team did a wonderful job. We were out everyday . . . there?s nothing more we could have done,? said defeated NDP candidate Claude Gravelle. |
?I?m very fearful of the Conservative agenda...if they run huge deficits as I suspect they will, then social programs will have to be cut,? he said.
At age 63, Bonin said he?s not considering retiring.
?I?m not saying this is my last one (term),? he said. ?I will only consider retiring when I believe there?s a person in place who is capable of doing the same kind of work I?ve done for the people of Nickel Belt.?
Election night was a like a rollercoaster ride for Gravelle.
?A lot of things go through your mind, your heart is just pumping and adrenaline is flowing, it?s exciting,? Gravelle said. ?Our (campaign) team did a wonderful job. We were out everyday . . . there?s nothing more we could have done.?
?We didn?t do anything different, Mr. Bonin is a very popular candidate . . . (he) runs on his name and runs on the party name and party platform . . . We?re very pleased with what we?ve done.?
Despite his loss, Gravelle was upbeat about the future of the New Democrats.
?We (NDP) made a lot of gains and we?ve made those gains because of the way the NDP worked in the Parliament. They worked for the people and we?re going to keep working for the people.?
?Nobody?s got control (of Parliament) but if they?ve learned anything from the last Parliament, it?s that they have to work together and (leader) Jack Layton and the NDP are the ones that want to work with other parties.?
One of Gravelle?s supporters, CUPE Local 4705 president Wyman MacKinnon, was glued to the television screen, watching the close race unfold in Nickel Belt.
?I was cautiously optimistic throughout the whole thing . . . It?s disappointing (because) we needed change in Nickel Belt, we needed change in Sudbury and we didn?t get that change,? MacKinnon said.
?We had some new initiatives and some new ideas but, you know, the people have spoken and you live to fight another day.?
As far as his future is concerned, Gravelle said he isn?t sure if a third attempt at a federal election is in the cards.
?I?m going to pick up some signs, clean out a couple of offices and get back to being retired,? Gravelle said of his plans for the day after the election.
The former Rayside-Balfour councillor said he hasn?t made any decision about running in the 2006 municipal election.
?I?m afraid my platform would have to be de-amalgamation and I don?t think that people are ready for that yet,? Gravelle said
In the Conservative Margaret Schwartzentruber?s camp, feelings were fairly high, despite her third place finish in the Nickel Belt riding.
?I needed to double the votes that were given to the Conservatives the last time, but it?s such a strong Liberal and NDP riding,? Schwartzentruber said. ?This isn?t a devastating blow for me. I have a bright future because of my positive attitude. People in Nickel Belt had every opportunity to read candidate reports...We?ve seen 12 years of the Liberal government sitting on their hands while farmers and other people haven?t done so well.
Those same people have voted them back in, so that?s their choice.?
With files from Scott Haddow and Jason Thompson
