SIDNEY, B.C. - Green Party Leader Elizabeth May has become her party's first-ever MP in a shocking election upset that punted a long-time Tory cabinet minister from his Victoria-area riding.

As Canadians tried to catch their breath after seismic political shifts everywhere in the country, May's win in one of the westernmost ridings was a late-evening stunner.

May defeated Conservative Gary Lunn, who had represented Saanich-Gulf Islands since he was elected as a Reformer in 1997.

May said she'd head to Ottawa with the goal of trying to bring civility to the House of Commons by adopting a "balanced approach."

"I stand here today as the first elected Green member of Parliament in Canadian history," she said to loud cheers.

"I remain committed, as I've been throughout this campaign, to rejecting the politics of cynicism of fear, to embracing hope and to bringing respect back to our House of Commons."

May captured about 47 per cent of the popular vote, compared to the Green showing of about 10 per cent in the last election when the party placed third in the riding. Lunn had about 34 per cent of the vote, compared to his win in 2008 with 43 per cent.

May said she received a gracious call of congratulations from Lunn.

The Green Party's campaign revolved around the leader, a long-time environmental activist with national name recognition who moved from one coast to the other following her previous election loss to increase her chances of winning this time around.

The party made a collective decision to dump everything it had into getting her elected. May and her daughter moved across the country to live in the idyllic West Coast riding.

The party had dubbed election day May Day and May's campaign has received much local attention, particularly after she was shut out of the televised leaders debates. She had been included for the 2008 campaign.

May had the last laugh on election night.

"More than once, it's occurred to me one of my favourite phrases, which is of course: Amateurs built the arc. Professionals built the Titanic."

Dennis Pilon, a professor of political science at the University of Victoria, said before the election that a Green win would push the party past a "major psychological barrier."

"Getting access to the House of Commons by winning in a campaign, it will say to their voters 'We can do it."'

But May's enthusiastic ideal of changing Parliament will be sorely tested as she enters a tide of Tory blue, the first majority government of Prime Minister Stephen Harper's three electoral efforts.

"I'm worried for the country that we have this anti-democratic result," she said.

She said she is worried that Harper will use his majority to permit oil tankers to travel the West Coast, start oil drilling in coastal waters and allow the development of the Enbridge pipeline to the B.C. north coast.