CHARLOTTETOWN — Dennis King will serve another term as premier of Prince Edward Island after winning a majority in that province’s latest election.
Voters who cast their ballots on Monday paved the way for the incumbent Progressive Conservative party to become the majority government after they were elected as a minority government in 2019.
According to The Canadian Press, the Tories earned 55.9 per cent of the popular vote, winning in 22 of P.E.I.’s 27 ridings.
Meanwhile, while the Liberals, led by Sharon Cameron, won three seats and the Greens, under leader Peter Bevan-Baker, earned two.
King won on a campaign that highlighted the province’s challenges over the last couple of years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a health-care crisis, hurricane recovery efforts and the economic fallout caused by a potato fungus that halted exports of its most important crop.
King’s Tories also campaigned on a promise to find a family doctor for every Islander currently on a waitlist for one in the next two years.
Atlantic premiers, including New Brunswick’s Blaine Higgs, took to Twitter on Monday night to congratulate King on his electoral win.
“I look forward to continuing to work together to advance Atlantic Canadian issues on the national stage,” Higgs said.
Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said he believes King will “continue to lead Islanders with integrity,” adding that he also looks forward to strengthening a relationship between the provinces.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau also congratulated Dennis King and the Tories on their re-election, and hopes to build “stronger communities and make progress on issues of importance.”
“Together, we will work to grow the economy, create good middle-class jobs, improve access to quality health care, accelerate the fight against climate change and make life more affordable,” he said.
Elections P.E.I. said 68.5 per cent of the province’s 109,587 registered voters — or about 75,067 Islanders — cast a ballot in this year’s election.