Premier Gordon Campbell shrugged off suggestions that the by-election defeat of both B.C. Liberal Party contenders in Vancouver sends a message to his government. But another Liberal said the results could signal voter dissatisfaction with the carbon tax.

"Am I disappointed we didn't win, sure I am," Campbell told reporters in the lounge of a downtown Vancouver hotel. "Do I think that that says people aren't confident in the economic strategies that we've laid out? I know people are confident."

In Vancouver-Burrard, NDP candidate Spencer Herbert beat B.C. Liberal (and former Canucks owner) Arthur Griffiths, according to initial counts by Elections B.C. The NDP's Jenn McGinn triumphed over Liberal Margaret MacDiarmid in Vancouver-Fairview.

The premier appeared upbeat as he conceded victory to the NDP in a room full of cheering and hollering Liberal supporters.

"Unfortunately we weren't quite able to break that 27-year jinx of a government never winning a by-election," Campbell said.

Speaking to reporters afterwards, he suggested the results were somewhat expected. He pointed out that the NDP already held Vancouver-Fairview before the by-election and Liberal candidate Lorne Mayencourt only won Vancouver-Burrard by 11 votes in the 2005 provincial election.

"We knew that it was going to be tough," he said.

Griffiths called the by-election "training camp" and McDiarmid "a dress rehearsal," signallng they intend to run in the May 2009 provincial election.

Vance Campbell, President of the Vancouver-Burrard Liberal riding association, said a Liberal defeat could mean the premier needs to make his carbon tax clearer to voters.

He said the tax has been misunderstood by many British Columbians as a cash grab instead of a revenue neutral climate change plan.

"It's got crappy optics and bad timing," Vance Campbell said. "People are counting pennies now."

Speaking before the election results came in, he said a Liberal defeat should send a strong message to the provincial government.

"I think it will be a protest vote and a misunderstood carbon tax," he said.

Geoff Dembicki is a staff reporter for the Hook.