ARICHAT: Liberal candidate Michel Samson announced today that he will not request a judicial recount of the results from the May 30 provincial election for the riding of Cape Breton-Richmond.
“On election night I accepted the fact that the PC candidate had secured more votes than we had and called to congratulate her,” Samson said in a statement released this afternoon. “After the Official Addition on June 1, the margin of victory remains at 21 votes. I met with my campaign team Sunday night and they unanimously supported my decision not to seek a judicial recount.”
First time candidate, Progressive Conservative Alan Paon took the riding after winning 12 polls in mainland Richmond County and placed first in all polls in the Town of Port Hawkesbury, while also winning polls on Isle Madame.
For his part, Samson was strong on Isle Madame, but the former cabinet minister was only able to win
seven polls off the island.
“I want to thank the residents of Cape Breton-Richmond for an amazing 19 years as your MLA,” Samson said. “It was my honour to have served you and worked with you to grow our communities and families. I am looking forward to some personal time with my family and friends and the new opportunities that lie ahead for me.”
Samson was first elected to the riding of Richmond in 1998 after winning a hotly contested nomination in 1997. Since that first election, Samson was re-elected six times, all with comfortable majorities.
In the 2013 provincial election, after the riding was expanded to include Port Hawkesbury and the eastern portion of Cape Breton County, then renamed Cape Breton-Richmond, Samson took 56.5 per cent of the vote and had a majority of 2,673 votes.
“I also want to extend my congratulations to our new MLA Alana Poan and NDP candidate Larry Keating, along with their families, friends and campaign teams for an exciting campaign,” the veteran MLA noted.
“I will be forever grateful to my family and amazing campaign team, several of whom have been with me since my first election in 1998. I also want to thank Premier Stephen McNeil for his friendship and the faith he placed in me, along with the wonderful colleagues I have served with in cabinet and in the Liberal caucus over the years.”
“I am grateful for the many colleagues from both the NDP and PC caucuses I have worked with during my time as MLA. I always respected and admired their efforts on behalf of their constituents with the goal of making our province stronger.”
Samson added he was lobbied by many constituents to push for a recount but decided against that option.
“While I realize many will be disappointed in my decision not to seek a judicial recount, I ask that they accept the results and allow our new MLA to represent our riding.”