Conservatives hold onto one seat and take another in Ottawa

The polls have closed, the votes have been counted, and the Liberal party finished last in the by-elections held November 9 in four Canadian ridings.

If Canadian voters sent any messages to Ottawa today, they are that few are concerned enough about what's happening the nation's capital to vote -- only about one-third of registered voters turned out -- and most are happy with the representation they had going into today's elections. Conservative Scott Armstrong easily held onto the Cumberland-Colchester-Musquodoboit Valley seat in Nova Scotia with over 45% of the vote. Just under 36% of registered voters turned out. As expected, Bloc Québécois candidate Daniel Paillé held onto to the Quebec seat of Hochelaga, taking 51% of the vote in a riding in which just over 22% of registered voters turned out. In a surprise result, Conservative Bernard Généreux took the Quebec seat of Montmagny-L'Islet-Kamouraska-Rivière-du-Loup from Bloc Québécois candidate Nancy Gagnon. Almost 37% of voters participated, the best turn-out in the four ridings being contested today. NDP Fin Donnelly held onto the NDP seat in the BC riding of New Westminster-Coquitlam with almost 50% of today's vote. Considered a swing riding and a tight two-horse race going into the election, Conservative Diana Dilworth may have hurt her chances by choosing not to participate in two "almost-all candidates" debates. Less than 30% of registered voters made it to the polls on this rainy election day.