‘There isn’t a single regret that I have’: longtime NDP MP Brian Masse loses Windsor West

Conservative Harbinder Gill upset Brian Masse in the federal election — Liberal candidate Richard Pollock came in second, leaving Masse in third.

“Tonight, you made your voices heard. Tonight you made history. You chose hope over fear. Opportunity over division. And a fresh start for our community,” said Gill in his victory speech. ““I’m going to work for everybody, even for the ones who didn’t vote for me,” he added. “We are together in this. Every Windsor West resident matters whether they voted for me or not.”

Masse was seeking his ninth-straight victory for the New Democratic Party but he lost to the Conservative candidate and the Liberal candidate Richard Pollock.

Masse has been the MP for the riding since 2002.

In conceding his defeat Monday, Masse said he felt his priorities were not the focus of other candidates.

“We originally, you know, worked on a whole bunch of different issues that could have been, you know, maybe not as palatable for the type of politics we have right now and but important for the community, whether it be dental care or pharmacare. All those things may not pay off politically,” Masse said.

He commented on some candidates “hiding” during the campaign and not being out front and center.

“Right now the trend in politics is to hide, and not be in the front of the camera,” Masse said. “And, that gets you results as a win. That’s just the way things are working in politics right now.”

Masse thanked his many volunteers and staff members for their help over the last 20 years.

“Because we worked on case files that you never may have seen, in the newspapers, are on TV or are and never even knew about, where they change people’s lives. And so I’m grateful to have had the work experience with, amazing human beings, that, have done so much that, I can’t believe that, I’ve been so lucky to have been a part of that team,” he said.

Masse said he planned to spend Tuesday picking up campaign signs but beyond that, he told the media, he hasn’t given any thoughts to his next career move.

This was Gill’s first run at politics, having recently retired as a police officer from the LaSalle Police Service.

Historic win

The riding of Windsor West was created in the late 1960’s when it merged Essex East and Essex West.

The very first Windsor West election in 1968 went to the Liberal party of Canada, lead by Herb Gray.

He would hold the seat for four decades before Masse was elected in 2002.

Gill’s victory is the first time a conservative has represented Windsor West.

The last time a conservative represented this part of the community was back in 1958 when it was called Essex West.