A blue wave swept through Cape Breton in Tuesday night’s election.
The island has eight seats and five of them went to the Progressive Conservative Party. The two island Liberal MLAs who kept their seats won by a slim margin.
One of several Liberals defeated was high-profile cabinet minister Michel Samson, who held the seat for 20 years.
In Victoria-The Lakes, Keith Bain took back his seat from Liberal incumbent Pam Eyking.
"I think if we look at the number of seats that have gone Progressive Conservative in Cape Breton, there's a message being sent to the government," says Bain.
Liberal candidate Derek Mombourquette barely kept his seat in Sydney-Whitney Pier. He says the message of needing doctors was received.
“The most prominent issue on the doors was health care. A few of the doctors have reached out to me already since the election, just to offer any support to help send that message to Halifax, to try and obtain resources back here at home,” says Mombourquette.
Cape Breton-Centre is the only riding where an NDP MLA was elected. It’s also one of three ridings in Cape Breton that voted out a Liberal incumbent.
Newly-elected NDP member Tammy Martin says she will hold government to account for the concerns she heard on doorsteps.
"Cape Bretoners tend to make statements and I think we did last night. I hope he gets the message loud and clear."
With files from CTV Atlantic’s Ryan MacDonald
