Lamont retains seat in St. Boniface

Dougald Lamont will enter his first full term as the MLA for St. Boniface after being re-elected in the provincial election Sept. 10.

Lamont, who is also the leader of the Manitoba Liberals, swept aside challenges from the NDP candidate Laurissa Sims, who finished in second, and the PC candidate Megan Hoskins, who finished in third. Green Party candidate Jaclyn Jeanson finished in fourth, and Manitoba Forward candidate Simone Fortier finished in fifth.

According to unofficial election results from Elections Manitoba, Lamont won 4,077 votes; Sims won 2,939; Hoskins won 1,889; Jeanson won 840; and Fortier won 76.

Talking to The Lance at the party’s election headquarters at the Norwood Hotel after the results were announced, Lamont said his victory was still sinking in. He said he was thankful for the attendance of the many people that visited the HQ to show their support.  

"We all know we did the best we could, and we ran a campaign to be proud of," said Lamont, who was first elected in a July 2018 byelection following the resignation of former St. Boniface MLA and premier Greg Selinger. 

And after the learning curve of his first 14 months at the Manitoba legislature, the married father of four is looking forward to continuing to serve the constituents of St. Boniface, as well as continue to lead the provincial party.

"The most important thing I can do is be the best MLA I can be for St. Boniface, which in many ways is a microcosm for all of Manitoba," he said, adding that that the cuts made by Brian Pallister’s Progressive Conservative government, including those to education and health care, continue to be a concern for his party, and many Manitobans.