Belfast-Murray River provincial by-election, 2007

Last updated March 13, 2019

A provincial by-election was held in Prince Edward Island on October 15, 2007 to fill the vacancy in the Legislative Assembly riding of Belfast-Murray River. It was called by Premier Robert Ghiz on September 17, 2007.^[1]^[2]

Prince Edward Island is a province of Canada consisting of the Atlantic island of the same name along with several much smaller islands nearby. PEI is one of the three Maritime Provinces. It is the smallest province of Canada in both land area and population, but it is the most densely populated. Part of the traditional lands of the Mi'kmaq, it became a British colony in the 1700s and was federated into Canada as a province in 1873. Its capital is Charlottetown. According to the 2016 census, the province of PEI has 142,907 residents.

The Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, along with the Queen of Canada in Right of Prince Edward Island, represented by the Lieutenant-Governor of Prince Edward Island, forms the parliament of the province. The General Assembly meets at Province House, which is located at the intersection of Richmond and Great George Streets in Charlottetown.

Belfast-Murray River is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island, Canada. Created mostly from 4th Kings, part of 5th Kings and a small part of 4th Queens in 1996. It was formerly named Murray River-Gaspereaux from 1996 to 2007.

The by-election was caused by the decision of PC MLA and former Premier Pat Binns to resign after he was appointed ambassador to the Republic of Ireland by Stephen Harper, following his election loss in the 2007 provincial election.

Patrick George Binns, is a Canadian diplomat who was named Ambassador to Ireland on August 30, 2007; serving in that post until November 19, 2010.

Stephen Joseph Harper is a Canadian economist, entrepreneur, and retired politician who served as the 22nd prime minister of Canada for nearly a decade, from February 6, 2006 to November 4, 2015. Harper has served as the leader of the International Democrat Union since February 2018.

The Liberal candidate was Charlie McGeoghegan, who had come within 400 votes of defeating Binns in the provincial election.^[1]^[2] The PC candidate was chosen on September 21, 2007, while both the NDP and the Greens had announced their candidates, as well; a former Liberal ran as an independent.^[3]^[4]

Charlie McGeoghegan is a Canadian politician.

McGeoghegan won the byelection, defeating Progressive Conservative Darlene Compton by over 400 votes.^[5]^[6]

Darlene Compton is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island in the 2015 provincial election. She will represent the electoral district of Belfast-Murray River as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party.

Results

v t e Prince Edward Island provincial by-election, 15 October 2007: Belfast-Murray River On the appointment of Pat Binns as Ambassador to Ireland
Party		Candidate	Votes	%	±%
	Liberal	Charlie McGeoghegan	1,259	54.95	+14.14
	Progressive Conservative	Darlene Compton	828	36.15	−19.01
	Independent	Andy Clarey	107	4.67
	Green	Ahmon Katz	83	3.62	−0.42
	New Democratic	Jane McNeil	10	0.44
Total valid votes			2,287	100.0
	Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative		Swing		+16.58
Source: Elections PEI

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References

1 2 "Ghiz calls byelection for former Binns district". CBC News. September 18, 2007. Archived from the original on September 21, 2007.
1 2 "Belfast-Murray River residents heading back to voting booth". The Guardian. Charlottetown. September 18, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
↑ "Clarey to run as independent in Belfast-Murray River". CBC News. September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
↑ "NDP announce byelection candidate". CBC News. September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
↑ "Liberals win P.E.I. byelection". CBC News. October 15, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.
↑ Thibodeau, Wayne (October 16, 2007). "McGeoghegan adds to Liberals power in the P.E.I. legislature". The Guardian. Charlottetown. Retrieved 2016-03-25.

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[byelection-1] 1 2 "Ghiz calls byelection for former Binns district". CBC News. September 18, 2007. Archived from the original on September 21, 2007.

[byelection2-2] 1 2 "Belfast-Murray River residents heading back to voting booth". The Guardian. Charlottetown. September 18, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.

[3] "Clarey to run as independent in Belfast-Murray River". CBC News. September 26, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.

[4] "NDP announce byelection candidate". CBC News. September 27, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.

[5] "Liberals win P.E.I. byelection". CBC News. October 15, 2007. Retrieved 2016-03-25.

[6] Thibodeau, Wayne (October 16, 2007). "McGeoghegan adds to Liberals power in the P.E.I. legislature". The Guardian. Charlottetown. Retrieved 2016-03-25.