Calgary Confederation's Len Webber celebrates 'nail biter' victory over Matt Grant

It was a good fight, but Conservative Len Webber has captured the newly created riding of Calgary Confederation, narrowly defeating Liberal Matt Grant.

The riding was one of three the Liberals hoped to capture in Calgary, expending time and resources to make the breakthrough. 

• Liberals win first Calgary seats since 1968 as Conservatives take 8
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Liberal Leader Justin Trudeau, who won a majority government on Monday, made one of his first stops of the campaign in Calgary Confederation to stump alongside Grant.

"It was a nail biter all night long, but I felt confident," said a clearly elated Webber after his victory. "I knew we were going to pull through even though it was that tight."

"We worked hard and we deserved it and we're going to celebrate now."

Webber was a PC MLA in Calgary-Foothills, but left the party fold to sit as an Independent when Alison Redford was elected leader. He resigned his seat later that year. 

Webber says Conservatives will hold Trudeau accountable

He was more reserved when asked about the Liberals' stunning majority win in the country overall.

"Even though I'm elated about the win in Calgary Confederation, I am, you know, I don't know what to say about the win nationally. All I know is that we're going to make him accountable, PM-elect Trudeau."

When asked what his priorities are now that elected, Webber started to talk about the economy, representation of Alberta and the oilpatch before hushing himself up.

"To tell you the truth, I can't even think about what I'm going to do tomorrow or the next day, or the next four years from now. Today it's just a celebration, so we'll worry about that tomorrow," he said. 

History

Calgary Confederation is a new riding — created when the electoral map was redrawn in 2013 — but is largely comprised of what used to be Calgary Centre-North along with a smaller chunk of the former Calgary West riding.

The riding was being contested by Grant, Webber, Kirk Heuser of the NDP, Natalie Odd for the Green Party and Marxist-Leninist Kevan Hunter.

The new riding stretches from the Bow River in the south to McKnight and John Laurie boulevards in the north, and from Sarcee Trail in the west to Deerfoot Trail in the east.

Prentice, Harper, and Anders

Jim Prentice was the MP for Calgary Centre-North, from 2004 to 2010, when he resigned his post and moved to the private sector.

Prentice then returned to provincial politics in May 2014, becoming leader of the Progressive Conservatives and Alberta's premier before his government went down to defeat in the May 2015 election. He resigned both as leader and MLA that night.

Calgary West, meanwhile, was represented in Parliament by Stephen Harper from 1993 to 1997, when he was a member of the Reform Party.

Calgary West was subsequently held by Rob Anders from 1997 to 2015, first as a Reform, then Canadian Alliance, and finally Conservative party member. Anders failed to secure a Conservative nomination in the current election.