---

Frank James said he won't be calling to offer advice to his daughter, elected last night as the first black woman in the National Assembly. "I'm going to stay out of her way," he joked at a victory celebration at Yolande James's campaign headquarters in the West Island riding of Nelligan. He said his daughter was the right candidate for the riding at the right time.

"I hope that visible minorities, I hope that young people, that young women, considering that we are a minority in the National Assembly, will be encouraged by the success of this campaign, and will want to become more involved," said James, 26, at her campaign headquarters last night.

James had worked as an aide both to former MNA Russ Williams and Health Minister Philippe Couillard.

Her main rival, Independent Michel Gibson, put up a strong fight, but he could not match the endless stream of ministers, MNAs and volunteers who poured into the riding.

"At least we got the ministers to work more," he joked in an interview last night. Gibson, a longtime city councillor in Kirkland and ex-Liberal, said James will have to sit down with residents and local elected officials and work on resolving the demerger issue.

The Liberal majority was greatly reduced from the totals in the 2003 election when former Liberal MNA Russell Williams won the riding with 78 per cent of the vote and a lead of more than 23,000 votes over the Parti Quebecois.

"I'm ready to rally everyone together, and say, what is it that's best for our community," James said last night. "I'm a West Islander born and raised ... and I know that I will be able to do a good job, especially supported by such a great team."

---

BACK TO YOLANDE JAMES' MAIN PAGE