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McLean victory Started early e McLean sweeps to victory By Howard Elliott Chronicle staff writer When Progressive Conserâ€" vative MP Walter McLean lost only three of the first 40 polls yesterday, his camâ€" paign chairperson Dianne Munson knew victory was close. But late on Tuesday night. Munson said the winning McLean trend started much eartlier than that ‘‘The trend started with the first 10 polls." Ms. Munâ€" By Paul Marck ‘ . . Special to the Chronicle . Walter McLean, the 43â€"yearâ€"old minister who went from preaching from a pulpit to waving at motorists from high atop a cherry picker. won a decisive victory becoming Conâ€" servative member of Parliament for Waterloo riding Tuesâ€" day night. + The buzzing crowd at McLean‘s campaign headquarters grew from a small, serious crowd of 30 to more than 100 milling, cheering supporters by the time their candidate arâ€" rived shortly after 9 p.m. The partisan crowd broke into boisterous applause, whisâ€" tles. and handclapping as McLean made his way beneath the bareâ€"beamed ceiling of his makeshift office, which had been decorated with red. white and blue balloons for the ocâ€" easion. In front of a wall of posters beaming down with the feaâ€" tures of national leader Joe Clark and McLean himself, the newlyâ€"elected Member of Parliament told the crowd what they wanted to hear: he‘d work hard, hopefully as a member of a new government, and thanked his supporters for their help in getting him elected. And he gave thanks to God for Divine help. It was an especially savory victory for McLean, nominatâ€" ed only two months ago after Tory candidate Rich Hobson. a lawyer. called it quits due to business pressures. In what barely turned into a twoâ€"man race. the Waterloo Presbyterian minister won handily over his nearest opâ€" ponent, Frank Epp. the Liberal candidate and Mennonite clergyman. . However, the result never seemed to be in doubt, as Epp rode McLean‘s coattails right from the first five polls reâ€" ported out of the 284 in the new Waterloo riding. . â€" The riding, carved from three former constituencies. takes in the city of Waterloo. the Stanley Park portion of the city of Kitchener, as well as Wellesley. Wilmot. and Woolâ€" h townships. ithin minutes after the polls closed at 8 p.rim.. McLean by a handy margin of more than 200 votes over Epp. Within 40 minutes. McLean led by a two to one margin. and by 9 o‘clock, the outcome was pretty well deeided. McLean, married with four sons. had to fight it out with a couple of candidates who had a year or more to campaign after being nominated. o â€" New Democrat Mike Makarchuk never figured in the vote. and the two fringe candidates were out of the race alâ€" together. â€" S _ But the former African missionary and Manitoba centenâ€" nial commissioner had the popular exposure of being a twoâ€" time Waterloo alderman to boost his public image. Preliminary election figures showed McLean swept the city of Waterloo. but got only mixed support in the rural secâ€" tions of his riding. McLean said afterwards. at his victory party at the Waâ€" terloo Motor Inn. that his own campaign‘s success was due "great team effort on the part of family. friends. and porters. . ‘*There was no way in the time I had (since being nominâ€" ated) that I could get out to meet everyone." » He said the mood of the country was one of seeking chanâ€" ge because the Liberal government was "distant...concerns of the people were quite apparent. People would like to see others in Ottawa. In the last decade. we‘ve seen very little accomplished . McLean said he will resign his alderman‘s seat. as well as quiting as pastor of Knox Presbyterian church. McLean said he plans to open a constituency office. and keep in touch with the people. both by getting out to meet those he hasn‘t been in contact with,. and through the media. He said he will make being an MP a fullâ€"time job. ‘*Nobodv thinks they have all the answers." McLean said. ‘‘There‘s no single solution. The Conservatives will try to band together the different sections of the country. 124th Year No. 21 son said Most _ surprising _ in McLean‘s decisive victory were the results from the rural areas of Waterloo ridâ€" ing According to McLean‘s campaign â€" coâ€"ordinator. rural areas in this riding are traditionally Liberal, but the PC machine did better than anticipated Despite the traditional Liâ€" beralism in rural areas of (Continued on page 4) Wednesday, May 23, 1979 Politics and involvement with people is a family afâ€" fair for the Walter McLean family. " Newly elected Waterloo riding Conservative MP McLean. wife Barbara, and sons Scott, 15. Chima. 13. and twins Duncan and Tan. 10. are used to the busy lifesâ€" tyle of their minister father Politics has become a family affair for the MclLean clan Walter Mclean, elected Progressive Conservative MP for Waterioo riding Tuesday, talks to supporters at his campaign headquarters as a disgruntled defeated Liberal candidate Frank Epp looks on after conceding victory to McLean. Full election news Pages 1 and 3. . S VICTORY AND DEFEAT who has been a missionary in Africa, executive director of the Manitoba Centennial Corporation, and business consultant, as well as pastor of Knox church in Waterloo In addition, McLean has been a Waterloo alderman for the past two terms The new Member of Parâ€" lhament looked fresh and viâ€" He‘s managed to balance a family life, alderman‘s job. and pastor‘s duties while being elected. He was nominated only two months before Tuesâ€" day‘s election. brant after what must have been a grueling campaign Tuesday night. The amiable minister will WATERLOO, ONTARBIO . 5 15 CENTS be as busy as ever, despite his eventual resignations from city hall and the minâ€" istry. But for his family. Walter McLean‘s going to Ottawa isn °t likely to interfere with their lifestyle. Wife Barbara. who activeâ€" ly campaigned at his side (Continued on page 4) John Cole photo