Liberal candidate is unsure about future

DOREEN HOOVER
Dunnville Chronicle
Wednesday, October 17, 2007 - 05:00

Last Wednesday was a disappointing evening for Haldimand-Norfolk provincial Liberal candidate Lorraine Bergstrand. After running what she felt was a "very clean campaign," Bergstrand stood in her Simcoe campaign office and watched as the numbers came in. It soon became apparent Conservative Party incumbent Toby Barrett was easily winning the race and would be returning to Queen's Park for his fourth term as MPP.

Based on unofficial numbers recorded on Bergstrand's campaign walls on election night Barrett was getting double and triple the support in polling stations. Some of the votes coming in from Dunnville polls ranged from 92 for Barrett to 32 for Bergstrand and 53 for Barrett compared to 44 for Bergstrand. The spread got wider in Cayuga where one polling station had Barrett earning 161 votes to Bergstrand's 30 votes. The Canfield polling station gave Barrett 125 votes compared to 38 for Bergstrand and in one Caledonia station the incumbent claimed 137 votes compared to 27 for Bergstrand. The numbers from Norfolk County weren't any better for the Liberal candidate.

Obviously disappointed, but still having a smile on her face Bergstrand said she saw the trend of the voting soon after polls closed.

"Toby doubled me in some polls and it just reaches the point where you can't catch him," she said. "I was hoping we could have held decently across Norfolk and they would recognize change was needed. I hoped to do better, but it is what it is. I'm just glad Mr. McGuinty is forming a majority government--that's what I want to see. It's just unfortunate we have a Conservative critic, but that's the people's choice. My life will go on."

"There isn't anything I would do differently," she added. "We did the best we could with the budget we had. I'll get over it, but I feel bad for all my supporters. There are so many people who give so much of themselves. I appreciate what the volunteers do and I thank them for their support."

While Bergstrand stood behind the running of her campaign she did admit it was difficult getting her message across to voters. She wanted voters to look at health care and education funding over the past four years under Liberal leadership and to see that election polls were indicating another victory for McGuinty so why not have a Liberal MPP representing the riding.

"There's a very clear message here that we didn't get our message out--the message of what the Liberal government can do in Haldimand and Norfolk," she said to supporters on election night. "This was a chance for Haldimand-Norfolk to move forward, but voters decided to hold onto the past."

Bergstrand admitted the native land dispute in Caledonia was a major issue during this election campaign. She said McGuinty's decision to not visit Caledonia was "spun" into a major election issue.

"The native issue is huge in both Haldimand and Norfolk," she said. "The provincial Liberal government has done more for Haldimand County than anyone. The federal government has refused to step up to the plate, but sometimes it's how stories are spun. They were successful in spinning the Premier not attending Caledonia--making it a main issue when it wasn't the issue."

Bergstrand sees the native issue continuing to impact Haldimand and Norfolk in coming years. She hopes Barrett is up to the challenge.

"I hope Mr. Barrett steps up the plate with some leadership instead of just critiquing like the last four years," she said. "You can't always blame everything on the Liberal government. Mr. Barrett could have been more effective over the last four years, but he chose not to do that, but it's the people's choice and they believe Mr. Barrett can effectively represent them. I saw a number of great opportunities to work with the government, but the people have decided. My best wishes to the people and to Mr. Barrett on making it work."

When Bergstrand decided to run for the Haldimand-Norfolk provincial riding she put her life on hold. After having a few days to reflect on her run for the office of MPP she has no regrets.

"I've been spending time in my fuzzy slippers and I'm fine," she told The Chronicle on Monday. "I'll have a little break. I'll continue to be a strong supporter of the Liberal party. I certainly supported them with my eyes wide open and that has given me even more reason to be supportive of the direction the party is going. I thoroughly enjoyed this experience and thoroughly enjoyed meeting all the new people. It was my pleasure and I'm glad I did it."

Reflecting on her future political career, Bergstrand is evasive. She has devoted 15 years of her life to holding political office both at the town and county levels.

"They say never say never, but I'm saying never, but you never know where life will take you," she said when discussing her political future. "Who knows, but there's a certain freedom and pleasure in being anonymous. I'm sure there's a place for my talents somewhere."