Ujjal Dosanjh, the Liberal candidate in Vancouver South, says Stephen Harper was “successful in demonizing” Stephane Dion and the carbon tax.

After arriving at the Sheraton Wall Centre, where Vancouver-area Liberals are watching the election results come in, he said the Green Shift was “absolutely” a factor in his party’s showing in the province.

On the question of the Liberal party’s leadership, Dosanjh said, “Tomorrow is a new day.”

He said how the Liberals did in this election will “raise some questions”.

With respect to Dion, he said, “What Mr. Dion does is up to him.”

As for his own campaign, he said wasn’t surprised about the close race with his opponent Conservative Wai Young.

Not much was happening at the Wall Centre before he arrived. The junior ballroom is half-empty.

There are placards that have not yet been hoisted. One says, “Keep it up”, while another states, “Good time to buy?”

Two giant screens are showing the CBC’s coverage of election night. When results showed Young slightly in front of Dosanjh in Vancouver South, and when it was announced that Conservative Alice Wong had taken down Liberal Raymond Chan in Richmond, there were collective groans.

However, there was hooting when Liberal MP Joyce Murray was declared the victor in Vancouver Quadra.

The murmur in this room is that in two months something will likely be done about the party’s leadership.

For complete Vancouver-based coverage of the 2008 election, go to the Straight's Federal election page.