The Reeve of the RM of St. Laurent's looking forward to working with their new MLA. Progressive Conservative Candidate Derek Johnson beat incumbent NDP MLA and former cabinet minister Tom Nevakshonoff in Tuesday's election, which saw the PCs take a sweeping majority. Johnson's a former councillor in the RM of St. Laurent, and Cheryl Smith says she hopes that bodes well for the area.

"What we're really hoping for is somebody who understands the issues the municipality, and surrounding municipalities, have been facing since the flood of 2011. Our MLA, Derek Johnson, lived through it, he was a councillor at the time. It gives us comfort that he'll have a better appreciation as to what people were feeling and going through, and how to rebuild and work together to do that."

Which two significant changeovers in government within the last six months, --The federal election in October, and the provincial election Tuesday-- Smith hopes that could mean some major changes at the local level.

"I think that we're looking forward to working with the new provincial government. We have some fantastic projects on the go, and we really hope we'll be able to mesh the various initiatives the province will put forward along with the federal programs that are being put together. We're really hoping it will have a positive impact on our municipality."

She describes it as an exciting time for the local municipality, and looks forward to working with the new provincial government in the future.