Maverick Party reflects on 'disappointing' election result

The leader of the upstart Maverick Party is disappointed over the results of last week's federal election but says other factors — like the fourth wave of COVID-19 and the People Party of Canada's pitch to disaffected voters — influenced the outcome. 

Interim leader Jay Hill said the election's timing and strategic voting against the Liberals also hurt the party's result. 

"We ran a credible campaign. Our 29 candidates stayed on message, unlike a number of the other parties," he said. "So I was very proud of the job that they did, and I'm very disappointed in the results."

The party fielded  29 candidates in Western Canada, including 19 in Alberta, in its first election since its founding. 

Maverick candidates were only able to capture around one to four per cent of the vote, depending on the riding. Candidates for the People's Party of Canada (PPC) received more support — about five to 13 per cent of total votes cast in the electoral districts where they faced Maverick candidates. 

The Maverick Party was founded in September 2020 when it changed its name from Wexit Canada.

Hill said the party had little time to prepare for an early election. He believes potential supporters voted for the Conservatives because they were the party with the best chance of removing Liberal leader Justin Trudeau from the prime minister's office.