A blue wave broke over the Saint John region in New Brunswick’s provincial election.
Progressive Conservatives won nine of the 10 seats in the area.
Among the victims of the blue wave was long-serving Liberal cabinet minister Rick Doucet.
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Saint John Liberal MP Wayne Long was part of the team that campaigned diligently for local Liberal candidates.
Sporting bruises from a sanctioned boxing match over the weekend, Long admits the party is licking its wounds.
“The people in southern New Brunswick spoke,” Long said. “I’m a little surprised by some of the results, for sure, but that’s what it’s all about.”
East Saint John MLA Elect Glen Savoie defended his seat.
“I think New Brunswickers are tired of the divisive attacking style of politics,” he said. “I think they showed they really want someone who’s willing to show their vision to move the province forward.”
Savoie says although no party holds a majority, the legislature can still function.
“It is about working together, so as long as that legislature is working in the best interest of the people that elected us, as a legislature and not as individuals, then we should do fine.”
Saint John councillor Gerry Lowe captured the lone Liberal seat in the south in Saint John-Harbour, and says he’s open to discussions with the PC leader.
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Saint John mayor Don Darling says regardless which political stripes local MLAs wear, key issues need to be addressed.
“What matters most right now are the items that have been identified in the white paper, taxation, arbitration reform, regionalization reform,” the mayor noted. “These type of substantive issues need to be addressed.”
The NDP failed to win a seat and leader Jennifer McKenzie believes the electorate is grumpy.
“There’s a lot of dissatisfaction out there,” she says. “I think people were capitalizing on that in a way that the NDP doesn’t always do.”