Pallister earns another term as Manitoba premier, PCs win majority

WINNIPEG – Brian Pallister’s PCs have been elected for another term leading the province after jumping to an early lead shortly after polls closed.

The crowd gathered at the PC HQ for Palliister’s speech chanted “four more years” as he took to the stage. The premier said Manitobans have chosen to move the province forward.

Pallister thanks all the opposition candidates and leaders for their efforts in keeping our democracy working. #mbvotes #mbelxn #mbvotes pic.twitter.com/EpDKiBR82Z

— Xiaoli XCX / 李肖黎 (@Xiaoli_XCX) September 11, 2019

“Forward to balanced budgets. Forward to better care–and sooner. Forward to new schools for our children and grandchildren. Forward to a stronger economy for all of us. And forward to more affordability for families with lower taxes and more money right on the kitchen tables of Manitoba families,” Pallister said.

“We face our challenges together–Manitobans do that. And today, and tonight, [Manitobans] said they appreciated that fact that we fixed the finances and we’re repairing the services and we’re rebuilding the economy.”

The Tories failed to match their 40-seat high in 2016, the biggest majority in a century in Manitoba, which ended 17 years of NDP government.

Opinion polls had consistently suggested a sizable lead for the Tories provincewide, but also indicated it could be a tight race with the NDP in Winnipeg.

WATCH: Manitoba has elected another PC majority government. Xiao Li reports from the PC headquarters.

The Tories ran their campaign promising further cost-cutting and tax reductions after reducing the provincial sales tax in their first term and trimming annual deficits. But their fiscal restraint and health care reforms had stirred up controversy.

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Pallister also recaptured his seat of Fort Whyte in southwest Winnipeg in the provincial election. Pallister first won the seat in a byelection in 2012 after he became party leader.

Pallister re elected. Friesen re elected. Goertzen re elected. PC majority. We’ll see by how much. #mbpoli

— Xiaoli XCX / 李肖黎 (@Xiaoli_XCX) September 11, 2019

He was handily re-elected again in the 2016 election. The Fort Whyte seat was created in 1999 and has always been held by the Tories.

Pallister called the election more than a year ahead of the scheduled voting date, hoping to secure backing to continue his program of cost-cutting and tax reductions.

It was a four-week summertime campaign that offered few surprises and saw Pallister run a front-runner’s campaign.

He participated in only one leaders debate and most of his campaign promises were small additions to measures taken in his first term.

The NDP will stay on as official opposition, and both the Liberal and NDP leaders won the seats for their ridings. The Greens were shut out once again in their bid to win a single seat.