NDP candidate Kennedy thanks supporters, congratulates Rochefort, and is ready to rebuild
Last night's election wasn't favourable to the NDP, but Valerie Kennedy, the party's candidate for the Nipissing – Timiskaming riding, is proud of the party's work and is ready to help it rebuild.
Kennedy told BayToday that much of her day has been responding to messages from well-wishers and party faithful, congratulating her on a well-run campaign. She said, 'You know what? I feel great. I feel like I never lost my integrity, my empathy or my strength.'
'I get the strategic vote, and it affected us,' she continued. 'It's sad to see, but we live in a democracy, and people have their voice.'
For many, the race was polarized between the Liberals and Conservatives, and the NDP, Green, and other parties felt the squeeze. The NDP lost party status, and Jagmeet Singh lost his seat and announced his resignation as party leader.
However, Kennedy emphasized the NDP will rise, and its time to rebuild.
'I'm so thankful for my family, and for my supporters,' she said. 'We'll always stand arm to arm and there will always be an NDP party, and we will just have to start rebuilding again from the ground up. And you know we're going to do this. We're for the people.'
'We will always be here for Canada,' Kennedy emphasized.
As for Pauline Rochefort's Liberal victory last night, Kennedy wished her all the best.
'I offer my congratulations to Pauline,' she said. 'She is a great person, and I will absolutely work with her, and she knows that.' The two did not know each other before the campaign began, but Kennedy noted, 'We've had a great time together, and it's always been very professional.'
She added, 'We met through this campaign, and it's just been the utmost respect on both sides. I'm there for her, and I know she'd be there for me.'
See:
VIDEO: Rochefort gracious in victory; ready to serve all
Asked why Canadians need the NDP, Kennedy was quick to say, 'Because the majority of Canadians are working class people. We will always lift each other up, and I still truly believe that we have to tax the ultra wealthy to make sure that everyone in Canada is taken care of.'
She mentioned the need to improve mental health care, to increase the number of nurses working, and to reduce regulations preventing people from working within different regions of the country.
'The NDP supports everyday people because that's who we are in Canada,' she said. 'We are the working people, and we are going to lift each other up, always.'
On the topic of Singh, Kennedy detailed how she met him a handful of times and considered him a friend. 'He's just a great person, and he has values that reflect the NDP party, and always will.'
'I admire Singh, he's done a great job.'
Kennedy concluded by reassuring party-faithful and all voters, 'We're going to build this party, and I'm very excited to be a part of it.'
David Briggs is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter who works out of BayToday, a publication of Village Media. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
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