ELECTION 2015: Fuhr ousts Conservatives as Kelowna-Lake Country goes Liberal

"AN HONOUR AND A PRIVILEGE:" CANNAN

KELOWNA – In a surpise upset Liberal Stephen Fuhr has won Kelowna-Lake Country, ousting three term Conservative Ron Cannan.

The riding has been a bastion for the Conservatives but the surging Liberals managed to tap into a desire for change that washed across Canada in recent weeks under leader Justin Trudeau.

Fuhr also enjoyed the support of some local Green Party members, whose candidate opted out of the race and endorsed the Liberal.

He greeted an enthusiastic crowd of party faithful at the Delta Grand hotel tonight, Oct. 19, telling them they achieved the win together.

Fuhr also gave credit to the Green Party members in his victory speech, saying Kelowna-Lake Country was the only riding in the country in which the Greens and the Liberals were able to come together.

“Now there are no colours in this riding. I will work with everyone.”

Cannan said he suffered the same fate as his party but looking back, he said has plenty to be proud of.

"You’re part of a team, (you) play as a team player no matter what happens," he said. "Lots of things (I'm) proud of but I definitely heard from people it was time for a leadership change."

"It's been a privilege and an honour to be serve Kelowna Lake Country in Ottawa," he added. "Lots of good things to be proud of. I want to continue to be involved. I am not going anywhere, whatever the future holds."

Fuhr is a veteran and former fighter pilot who says he left the airforce six years ago as a Conservative but changed his mind along the way.

To contact the reporter for this story, email John McDonald at jmcdonald@infonews.ca or call 250-808-0143. To contact the editor, email mjones@infonews.ca or call 250-718-2724.