Mediaboss Marketing

By The Canadian Press

CONCEPTION BAY SOUTH, N.L. - Newfoundland and Labrador's Tory premier has lost his first major test in a byelection, with the defeat of his party's candidate in a Progressive Conservative stronghold.

Liberal Rex Hillier took a narrow victory in the district of Conception Bay South, west of St. John's, on Wednesday evening, defeating Tory candidate Barry Petten.

Unofficial results from Elections Newfoundland and Labrador had Hillier with 2102 votes and Petten at 2026 after all 44 polls were counted.

The NDP's Cameron Mercer-Maillet ran a distant third, with just 130 votes.

The district is next door to the riding held by Paul Davis, who was sworn in as premier on Sept. 26.

The Tory government has now lost five straight byelection to the Opposition Liberals in the last 16 months, four of them in districts held by former cabinet ministers.

With the Liberal win, there are 29 Progressive Conservative members, 14 Liberals, three N-D-P and two vacant seats.

Political scientists have said Conception Bay South was a must-win for a government that has seen a series of cabinet ministers depart politics over the last year amid leadership struggles and a slide in the polls.

The riding was held by former justice minister Terry French, who retired from politics in September.

Excerpt from:
Liberals take Newfoundland byelection