“It was interesting to have to go back to class this morning and talk about the revolution!”
Sheldon Clare didn’t waste any time in getting back to his day-to-day life after the long haul Election 42, teaching at the College of New Caledonia.
While he never expected to win, he was hoping for a bigger share of the Cariboo-Prince George vote last night.
“I think that they were largely expected,” Clare noted when recapping his numbers, “But I was a little surprised they were as low as they were. But given that people were basically voting for party brands rather than an actual person, it’s not much of a surprise.”
The Independent candidate garnered 656 votes, for 1.2 percent in the riding.
This put him behind the Green’s Richard Jaques (1845), but ahead of the Christian Heritage Party’s Adam de Kroon (325) and Gordon Campbell (399), who had no affiliation.
Clare says the political landscape going into the election put independents everywhere in a tough spot.
“Those people were going to be voting to support their particular party, or they would be voting to keep a different party out. So the voting was based on that traditional voting pattern, and Independents don’t do well when that’s going on.”
That being said, the results have hardly disheartened Clare, or changed his mind about the effectiveness of an Independent.
“I think I had tremendous power, regardless of the numbers. I had great success bringing national attention to the Cariboo-Prince George, and conversations were had that wouldn’t be talked about otherwise.”
Clare garnered national attention for his role with the Canadian National Firearms Association, and the support of author Margaret Atwood and former Veteran Ombudsman Pat Stogran.