NDP nearly wiped out in Manitoba after losing northern, Elmwood-Transcona seats, CBC projects

The NDP suffered heavy losses in Manitoba on election night, with the Winnipeg stronghold of Elmwood-Transcona going to the Conservatives and longtime MP Niki Ashton losing the northern riding of Churchill-Keewatinook Aski to the Liberals, CBC projects.

But the only NDP member of Parliament to reclaim a seat in Manitoba on Monday night says the party must rebuild from the losses suffered in Canada's federal election.

"I think a lot of people voted out of fear, and I understand that," Leah Gazan, who CBC projected would hold on to her Winnipeg Centre seat, told supporters on Monday night.

Final results still not clear

Liberal Leader Mark Carney will form government but whether it will be in a minority or majority Parliament still remains unclear.

At the time of writing, the Liberals were elected or leading in 168 seats — just short of the 172 needed to form a majority.

Over a dozen seats were still too close to call when Elections Canada decided to pause counting after 2 a.m.CT. Counting is set to resume at 8:30 a.m. CT. 

A majority is still possible if the final polls bend the Liberals' way.

"Going forward, however, we need to work to rebuild the NDP," said Gazan. "This is not the only time we've been down, and you know, we'll get back up again and fight for people across Canada."

Gazan had nearly 40 per cent of the vote, with 165 of 167 polls reporting around 3 a.m. CT Tuesday. The Liberals' Rahul Walia had around 35 per cent of the vote, trailing Gazan by around 1,500 votes.

She believes U.S. President Donald Trump's threats to Canada's sovereignty drove voters to the polls, but not to her party.

It was a devastating night for the NDP across the country, as the seven seats it was projected to hold as of 3 a.m. wouldn't be enough for official party status.

Jagmeet Singh announced that he'll step aside as NDP leader after party support collapsed and he conceded his own B.C. riding.

Ashton loses seat she's held since 2008

In northern Manitoba, the NDP was projected to lose the Churchill-Keewatinook Aski riding to the Liberals.

Ashton, who first won the riding in 2008, had around 29 per cent of the vote as of 3 a.m. CT Tuesday, trailing the Liberals' Rebecca Chartrand, who had 44 per cent of the vote with 145 of 181 polls reporting.

Chartrand ran in the riding in the 2015 election, losing to Ashton in a close race.

Ashton has won five consecutive elections in the riding since 2008.

WATCH | Strategic voters 'cost me,' Leila Dance says:

NDP will be back 'bigger and stronger,' says defeated Elmwood-Transcona MP

9 hours ago

Duration 1:08

Leila Dance, who was elected in the NDP Winnipeg stronghold of Elmwood-Transcona in a byelection last September, says the party's showing in Monday's election 'isn't the result we were hoping for across Canada,' after losing her own seat to Conservative Colin Reynolds.

The party also lost the other seat it had held in Winnipeg going into the election.

Leila Dance, who won the Elmwood-Transcona seat in a September 2024 byelection, was defeated in a rematch with the Conservatives' Colin Reynolds.

"I know this isn't the result we were hoping for across Canada, but we're going to come back bigger and stronger next time because Canadians need New Democrats at the table," Dance told supporters in her concession speech.

She said she suspected strategic voting likely played a role in her loss to Reynolds.

"It has changed this, and probably — realistically — did cost me this election," Dance said. "But again, people need to vote with their hearts and what they believe in."

The NDP will fight to get the riding back in the next election, she said, highlighting the party's work on national pharmacare and dental insurance programs. 

"What the NDP are bringing to the table is so important, no matter who's in government."