'I need to make it happen': Pressure's on for PCs to turn campaign promises into reality

Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said on election night: "Tonight we party; tonight we celebrate. But tomorrow we get back to work."

Welcome to tomorrow. 

King knows the mountain in front of him well. Over the last four years, his government has ridden through valleys of crises to get to this point.

What comes next is the climb: to put in motion urgent fixes for a collapsing health-care system; to intercede in a housing and homelessness crisis; to shield Islanders from the impact of a rising cost of living; and to prepare for a future where major storms may be the norm.

"Now the hard work continues," King told CBC News on Tuesday.

"We've had a difficult four-year run. Leading into the campaign and then the campaign itself, it was busy. It was hectic. It was tiresome. I'm happy that we won, but you're a little foggy here after election day."

Through all those troubling events, not to mention a global pandemic, King said his government has connected with Islanders on a "very personal level" unlike any previous administration has had to.

He says that connection is why most voters in the province so strongly endorsed Progressive Conservative candidates in Monday's election, which saw his party claim 55.9 per cent of the popular vote and 22 of the legislature's 27 seats. 

"That has served me well and I think that served our party well yesterday," King said. "Overall, even though we have lots of challenges, I think people do think that we're doing a pretty good job on P.E.I."

When I went around to the doors of this district, I believed in what I told people — and now I need to make it happen.— Susie Dillon, District 11: Charlottetown-Belvedere

The next milestone from here is Declaration Day, April 12, when the results of the 2023 election are finalized. New members of the legislature will be sworn in shortly after — possibly late next week, King said.

Then comes the formation of a new cabinet, the delivery of ministerial letters to define the priorities and expectations for each cabinet and deputy minister, the process of electing a new speaker, the crafting of a Throne Speech and budget, and more.

Health care and housing fixes will be front and centre, the premier said.

"Changing health care is a difficult file, it's a difficult challenge," King said.

"It's like trying to turn the Titanic and you only have one oar. It's hard, it's a big beast sometimes, but I do feel we've laid out a really aggressive plan that Islanders have appreciated."

New PC MLAs ready to step up

After Green MLA Hannah Bell decided not to re-offer in District 11: Charlottetown-Belvedere, the district's voters were guaranteed a new representative. That will be Susie Dillon.

Dillon flipped the district for the Progressive Conservatives with a commanding 51.1 per cent of the vote, sweeping all the polls and earning more votes in the advance polling than the other four candidates combined.

She knows expectations are high. It's the first time since 2017 that voters here have been represented by someone from the governing party. On top of that, the district has changed political hands three times in three elections.

"It comes with a bit of pressure for sure," she said.

"Maybe it's pressure that I put on myself, but I feel it's really important to believe in what you say and stand behind your words. When I went around to the doors of this district, I believed in what I told people — and now I need to make it happen."

Dillon has been working as an educational assistant at Eliot River Elementary in Cornwall, and has volunteered for a several local sport and school associations as well as the P.E.I. Poverty Elimination Council.

This was her first time running for political office, and she said she's ready to help King's government tackle the big tasks.

"I certainly am thankful that the people in this district have put their faith in me and are giving me the opportunity to work hard for them," she said.

'Big night, big month'

Across the Hillsborough River is the district of future Progressive Conservative MLA Jenn Redmond. Like Dillon, she flipped a Green district to the blue team.

A beaming Redmond was going around District 5: Mermaid-Stratford Tuesday afternoon cheerfully putting "Thank you" placards on her campaign signs.

"Big night. Big month," she said when asked about Monday night's win. "It was super to get to meet all of the constituents in the district. They were wonderful. I enjoyed all the conversations we had and I look forward to getting to work with them."

Redmond comes from a career with the Tourism Industry Association of Prince Edward Island and Holland College, and has volunteered on local boards and sporting organizations.

She said election night was stressful, but she was relieved to see the numbers settle in her favour by the end of the proceedings. She defeated Green incumbent Michele Beaton by just 38 votes in what was the closest race of the campaign.

A history of tight races

Historically, that's no surprise. Mermaid-Stratford was decided by less than 10 per cent of the popular vote in 2019, and the winner of the election before that, in 2015, was decided by a coin flip. Since 1996, throughout its realignments over the decades, no candidate was won with a margin of more than 10 per cent of the popular vote six of eight times.

The people of Mermaid-Stratford keep it interesting, and for the third straight election, they'll be sending someone to the legislature from a different political stripe.

Redmond is excited to rise to the challenge and finally be sworn in.

"It's a big moment. It's something in our home we talked about it for a while, to do a journey like this," Redmond said. "To have that success and be able to do that will be quite a moment for sure."