NDP candidate for Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo Bill Sundhu finished second in the riding on Monday night (Image Credit: CFJC Today)

By Chad Klassen

2021 FEDERAL ELECTION

‘You can run a fence post, it will win’: Sundhu not surprised a Conservative is returning to Ottawa from riding

Sep 21, 2021 | 4:41 PM

KAMLOOPS — Bill Sundhu hoped a return to the federal ballot would lead to change, and ultimately result in a trip to Ottawa. However, that did not go according to plan.

“We thought it was a much more competitive race here,” Sundhu told CFJC Today on Tuesday, a night after deciding not to speak with the media following his second-place finish. “We ran a really strong campaign. A lot of the pieces were on the table to make it work. We are somewhat surprised at the gap between Mr. Caputo and myself.”

Frank Caputo (42 per cent), the MP-elect for the riding, defeated Sundhu (29 per cent) by almost 9,000 votes, or by 13 per cent. In some ways, Sundhu isn’t surprised a Conservative is going back to Ottawa from Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo.

“We know that in first-past-the-post, there are many ridings in the country where, as the old saying goes ‘you can run a fence post, it will win.’ I think the Conservative brand is pretty entrenched here,” noted Sundhu.

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While the NDP didn’t gain any seats in Ottawa, it is expected to play another big role with another Liberal minority. The New Democrats were already able to push ahead their agenda under the previous minority with initiatives such as CERB.

“I think some of the most valuable things that have helped Canadians have been accomplished during minority governments,” said Sundhu. “So Jagmeet Singh and the NDP will have an instrumental role in making things work and leveraging that.”

For the Liberals, it was a step back locally, finishing third on Monday night with only 18 per cent. Jesse McCormick lost in his first foray into federal politics, but is comforted by the fact his party still holds power.

“I think Canadians had a very important choice in this election and they’ve chosen the Liberal Party of Canada, and that means further work on climate change, advance reconciliation, and to make lives more affordable for Canadian families, and we’re continuing that work,” said McCormick at his headquarters on Monday.

The Green Party also fell in 2021 to fifth in Kamloops-Thompson-Cariboo, behind the People’s Party of Canada.

“I would feel a lot better about the result if I thought that people had weighed our platform, weighed my ideas and what I put forward, and decided that I didn’t like it,” Currie said on Monday night. “I’d be chastened personally, but happy for the process. Now I’m just sad for the process.”

For Sundhu, he hopes the riding’s newest MP will see beyond the Conservative ideology and truly serve the constituents.

“I urge Mr. Caputo to shift towards working with other political viewpoints. I think that would be healthier. I wish him best-wishes in that,” he said.