Conservative Ted Falk re-elected in Provencher

Conservative Ted Falkhas been re-elected in theProvencher riding.

As of 12:50a.m. Tuesday, with158 of 179 polls reporting, Falkledby 9,547votes over Liberal Terry Hayward.

Despite being disappointed with the national outcome, Falk said the mood at hisSteinbach headquarters Monday night was"actually very positive."

"We've had a very convincing win here in Provencher, which of course our supporters are enthused about," saidFalk, adding Trudeau had astrong last few weeks on the campaign trail.

"We would have very much liked to have seen another majority Conservative government,but you know what, it is what it is and we're going to continue to work hard here in Provencher and do a good job of representing them in Ottawa."

Falk,the incumbent candidatein the riding, said he thinks Canadians were given the impression by media that "Mr. Harper was someone other than who he was."

"I see him as a very gifted, genuine individual that did an absolutely wonderful job of leading our country, and I think history will record him to be one of the greatest leaders that Canada's ever had."

Falkwas firstelectedin abyelectionon Nov.25, 2013,succeeding former cabinet ministerVicToews, who retired.

'Atleast Harper is gone'

Provencher New DemocratLesLilley said heis happy with the numbers heraked in, despite the loss.

"We started campaigning a month after everybody else simply because I had to get vetted and everything and it took a while," Lilley said, adding he was thankful for all of the help he received from volunteers.

"Plus, I did not have the budget that the other fellows had.I mean, for example: they were advertising every week in the local newspaper here. I couldn't even do it once."

In the end, Lilley said it was more important to him and Canadians that Conservative leader Stephen Harper be shown the door.

"It was a very common theme, I heard it from door to door, that Mr. Harper had to go," he said. "Atleast Harper is gone, to put it crudely."

Oldest riding in Manitoba

The Provencher ridingis one of the province's oldest.

Created in 1871, a year after Manitoba joined Confederation, it is a district once represented by Louis Riel.

Solidly Liberalfrom 1904-57, for much of the last half-century the riding has been Conservative save for a red swing from1968-72 and 19932000.

Toews held the seat from 2000, first as an Alliance member before that party evolved into the Conservatives.

The 2015 candidates are:

• LesLilley, New Democratic Party;
• JeffWheeldon, Green Party;
• Hayward, Liberal Party; and
• Falk, Conservative Party.

In 2011, voter turnout was 62 per cent.Toewswon with27,820votes (71 per cent of the vote share), far ahead of the NDP's Al Mackling, whowas second with7,051 votes (18 per cent).