Orlikow beats Taz in River Heights-Fort Garry

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This article was published 22/10/2014 (4324 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Incumbent John Orlikow beat out a tough challenger, Taz Stuart, to claim the River Heights-Fort Garry seat for a third time.

Orlikow earned 11,856 votes, while Stuart finished with 9,355. He celebrated with about 50 supporters, including former Liberal Party leader Jon Gerrard, at Mona Lisa Ristorante Italiano.

“I just focused on what we believed and what I’ve heard for the last four years,” Orlikow said. “I’m really looking forward to serving the neighbourhood again.”

Former city entomologist Stuart held a results party at the Pembina Hotel with about a dozen supporters in attendance. The mood was less jovial, but the drinks were cheaper.

“In my books, the first time was a great experience,” Stuart said of his campaign. “I learned a whole bunch. I’d probably do it again.”

Stuart resigned from his city job in 2013 under murky circumstances. He now works at Poulin’s Pest Control.

On election night, he still wouldn’t reveal why he left the city, but hinted that he might have been plotting to run for council.

“If I was potentially still working in that position, I may not have run,” he said.

Was he asked to run in River Heights by current or former city staff? Stuart wouldn’t say.

“I don’t know if I want to answer that one,” he said, laughing. He added that “other people in important positions in the business community” asked him to run.

The River Heights-Fort Garry race was very civil this year. It wasn’t until after the results were confirmed that Orlikow took a stab at Stuart’s campaign.

“My opponent didn’t have that much of a campaign actually going,” Orlikow said.

Orlikow won his council seat for a third time. He originally won in 2009 after a byelection was called to replace the late Brenda Leipsic. He won again in 2010 after fighting off a tougher challenger in Michael Kowalson.

jessica.botelho-urbanski@freepress.mb.ca