It was a progressive conservative coup in the Miramichi area, as the party won both local by-elections on Monday night.
Both Miramichi Bay-Neguac and Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin will send PC MLAs to the legislature in Fredericton.
The final results in Miramichi Bay-Neguac according to Elections New Brunswick are:
- Réjean Savoie (PC) – 2286
- Sean Wood (liberal) – 1753
- Chad Duplessis (Green) – 772
- Tom L’Huillier (People’s Alliance) – 172
- Richard “Hoss” Sutherland (Independent) – 99
The final results in Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin according to Elections New Brunswick are:
- Mike Dawson (computers) – 2542
- Hannah Fulton Johnston (Liberals) – 1737
- Larry Lynch (People’s Alliance) – 363
- Julie Guillaume-Ackermann (Greens) – 223
Voters in both races went to the polls after their former MPPs withdrew last summer to run in the 2021 federal election.
CBC News will provide an ongoing vote count as they come to Elections New Brunswick.
Turn the computer over in Miramichi-Neguac Bay
Personal computers managed to reverse the ride of Miramichi Bay-Neguak, which was held by the Liberals since 2014.
MLA nominee Réjean Savoie said he was happy to become the second Francophone PC MLA in the group, but said his job would be primarily to represent his constituents.
“I was chosen for the people I drive and to represent them well, and that’s what I intend to do,” Savoie said.
Prime Minister Blaine Higgs, who appeared at Savoy’s campaign headquarters, said having another Francophone voice in the group was important to the government.
“This diversity and opinion in our system is what we need to make the right decisions in the future, so this is great news,” Higgs said.
Liberal candidate Sean Wood went to the PC party headquarters to congratulate Savoy on his victory.
He said he was disappointed with the result and said he would like to see more turnout in the election.
Liberal candidate Sean Wood said he was disappointed with the results, but came to congratulate Savoy. (Jacques Poitras / CBC)
He said the fact that Savoie is giving a seat in government may have pushed some voters to the country on the PC.
“He would obviously offer more than I could for the first two years for sure,” Wood said.
Tests for parties
The two victories in the by-elections will boost the morale of the ruling progressive conservatives.
Voting comes almost in the middle of the government’s term, a time when governments usually have difficulty winning by-elections.
Claude Williams, president of the PC party, said he was happy to see the party sweep the by-elections and also choose a second francophone. (Jacques Poitras / CBC)
Claude Williams, president of the PC party, said the results showed that after more than two years of COVID-19 and inflation problems, voters were looking for stability – which he said computers could provide.
“I think people [have] they saw good things with this government and I guess they want to [it to] “Continue the agenda and vision of the Blaine Higgs government,” Williams said.
Questions to the People’s Alliance
However, the election is probably not what the members of the People’s Alliance hoped for.
The party was disbanded earlier this year when former leader Chris Austin stepped on the floor and joined personal computers.
The party was soon revived under new leader Rick De Solnier, but does not appear to be doubling its strong performance in the region in 2020, when it finished second in Southwest Miramichi Bay du Vin and third in Miramichi Bay Neguac.
Rick De Solniers, a former MLA in Fredericton York, was recognized as leader of the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick in May. (Jonathan Colicot / CBC)
Earlier, the ride was represented by Liberal Lisa Harris (Miramichi Bay-Neguac) and Progressive Conservative Jake Stewart (Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin).
Later, Stewart will win the federal headquarters of Miramichi-Grand Lake, working under the banner of the Conservative Party of Canada.
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