Federal election 2021: Chahal lone Liberal elected in Calgary

From city council to cabinet minister? George Chahal just might do it Former Calgary councillor George Chahal became the lone Liberal elected in southern Alberta Monday night.

CALGARY — The majority of Alberta's 34 ridings have gone Conservative blue Monday night even as CTV News declared a minority government for Justin Trudeau's Liberals.

Nine Calgary ridings were declared for the Conservatives, with Calgary Skyview flipping to the Liberals.

CTV's Decision Desk declared the Liberals would win a minority government Monday around 10:45 p.m. eastern standard time.

MRU political scientist Duane Bratt told CTV News in a weekend interview that a half dozen of Alberta's 34 seats could flip election night.

In Calgary, Conservative incumbents were mostly expected to retain their seats, but Bratt identified  three Calgary races as up for grabs.

"If a Liberal is going to win in Calgary," Bratt said, "It'll be in Calgary-Skyview."

As results rolled in Monday, only one actually was competitive.

That was in Calgary Skyview, where Liberal candidate George Chahal defeated Conservative Jag Sahota.

Shortly after 11 p.m. former Calgary councillor Chahal led by 42.9 to a little over 35 per cent for Sahota.

In Calgary Centre, Conservative MP Greg McLean defeated Liberal Sabrina Grover.

"We've gone through an election that we accepted in the beginning was an unnecessary election," McLean told CTV News. "It looks like it'll be a minority parliament one way or another coming out of this election, and those parties have to learn to work together."

Grover said she was glad Justin Trudeau was returning to office, and was proud of Chahal, who she declared the winner in Skyview, but said she wished that she was joining him in Ottawa.

In Calgary Confederation, Conservative Len Webber was the winner over Liberal Murray Sigler.

Other Calgary Conservative winners included Stephanie Kusie (Midnapore), Pat Kelly (Rocky Ridge), Michelle Rempel Garner (Nose Hill), Tom Kmiec (Shepard), Ron Liepert (Signal Hill), Jasraj Singh Hallan (Forest Lawn) and Bob Benzer (Heritage).

Shannon Stubbs won a decisive victory in Lethbridge while Blake Richards won Banff-Airdrie.

NDP CANDIDATE WINS EDMONTON STRATHCONA

New Democrat Heather McPherson held her seat in Edmonton Strathcona.

Edmonton Centre, where Conservative incumbent James Cumming and Liberal Randy Boissonnault are meeting for the third time, remains a close race, with New Democrat Heather McKenzie close behind.

Conservative incumbent Kerry Diotte is trailing New Democrat Blake Desjarlais in Edmonton Griesbach.

All of northern and southern Alberta re-elected Conservative MPs.

This is a developing story that will be updated throughout the night...

With files from CTV Edmonton and Chris Epp