Candice Bergen is quite pleased with the results of last week's provincial election in Manitoba. The Conservative MP for Portage-Lisgar says the provincial Progressive Conservatives were given a clear mandate from voters, capturing a record majority in the Manitoba Legislature and defeating a seventeen year-old NDP government.

"Manitobans clearly were tired of not just a government, an old government that was getting tired and had been here for a long time, but I would say Manitobans have sent the signal that they don't want increased taxes and they don't want their government to be loose with their money."

As for leader Brian Pallister, Bergen feels he will bring the values of hard work and family to the job which she believes will be a refreshing outlook for the province.

"I think Brian will stand up very strongly for the province whether it's issues of flooding, whether it's issues having to do with the federal government, infrastructure funding going to rural communities...he's not afraid to speak his mind."

Bergen is looking forward to working with the new Premier and her provincial counterparts. She says because the Conservatives don't form the federal government, it's even more important that there be Tory leadership at the provincial level.