Banff-Airdrie New Democratic Party (NDP) candidate Joanne Boissonneault was hopeful heading into the Oct. 19 federal election. But as the returns started trickling in, and it became apparent early in the count that incumbent Conservative MP Blake Richards would win the day, she accepted defeat.
Despite the rigours of a 78-day campaign and an unfavourable result, she remained upbeat. She thought running in her first federal campaign was fantastic and lauded the work of her campaign team.
“I’m really positive about (the whole experience),” Boissonneault said at her Airdrie campaign HQ following the election. “People were very supportive and positive, and I would do it again.”
She congratulated Richards on winning his third-straight term as Banff-Airdrie’s Member of Parliament. The riding was called Wild Rose in Richards’s first two terms.
“I wish he would have attended more forums with us and worked with us a little bit closer, but it was nice working with him and meeting him and congratulations,” Boissonneault said.
She was also quick to salute her campaign team in Airdrie, Cochrane, Canmore and Banff.
As the results began counting up, she couldn’t process them early on.
“I’m really shocked with the results,” she said. “I really believed I had more support than that.
“I had huge communities that said they would support me and vote for me,” she said. “I wasn’t expecting this.
“I’m not done,” she surmised. “I’ll be back.”
