Fredericton MP Jenica Atwin says a large part of her decision to join the Liberal caucus was to gain more access to cabinet and, in turn, hopefully direct more federal attention for the riding.
“Obviously, a huge piece of that decision was being able to deliver for the riding and really about the team,” Atwin said.
Atwin said her direct access to cabinet ministers has led to more visits to the riding.
“I’m so pleased to be able to bring them to our beautiful region and show them firsthand some of the amazing things that are happening and the projects that deserve support.”
Almost two months in, it appears the move has paid dividends.
Atwin announced she was leaving the Green Party for the Liberals on June 10. Prior to that, there were no direct federal funding announcements for the riding since she was elected in October 2019. There have been at least seven since Atwin crossed the floor.
That’s also included visits from at least four different ministers, headlined by deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland and health minister Patty Hajdu.
Get breaking National news
As Atwin goes door-to-door — should the rumours of a summer or fall federal election come true — those relationships and those funds will be part of her pitch.
“The same priorities remain. There’s just more resources and mechanisms to make them come to fruition for projects that are so important,” she said.
- Trump threatens Canada with 50% tariff on aircraft sold to U.S.
- B.C. premier calls meeting between Alberta separatists, Trump officials ‘treason’
- Pierre Poilievre prepares for leadership review as Conservatives gather in Calgary
- Gun buyback not hurt by some provinces, police refusal to help: minister
-
![]()
‘I don’t direct companies’: Doug Ford distances himself from ICE armoured vehicle order -
![]()
Conservatives face pivotal leadership review as pressure mounts on Poilievre -
![]()
Canada’s defence minister says F-35 fighter jet purchase ‘remains under review’ -
![]()
Poilievre leadership under review as Conservative convention kicks off
“It will be about kind of the journey that I’ve been on for the last few months and what that’s looked like and how it’s translated for things like announcements for our riding.”
The flurry of announcements can be read in a couple of ways, says JP Lewis, an associate professor of political science at the University of New Brunswick.
On the one hand, making announcements is part of the pre-campaign handbook of many Canadian governments.
“This isn’t the first government to campaign in this way, using government announcements. The Conservative government did it prior. We see it at the provincial level a lot,” Lewis said.
But the situation with Fredericton is somewhat unique.
“I would say the announcements are very par for the course,” Lewis said.
“What is not normal are the underlying circumstances of the riding.”
The riding was a tight three-way race in 2019, with Liberal incumbent Matt Decourcey finishing third. Atwin won it for the Greens by about 800 votes over Conservative candidate Andrea Johnson.
Then, Atwin crossed the floor, giving the Liberals back the seat, which they’d dearly like to hold onto. Part of the hope is that the flurry of attention will help appease those who were upset in the wake of Atwin’s decision to leave the party she was elected under, but there’s some risk involved.
“Where the announcements come is the Liberals are saying, ‘We’re going to throw all this at the wall and see what sticks,'” Lewis said.
“Because it’s hard to say how voters will look at it. If they’ll look at it in a cynical light — that there hadn’t been a lot of attention and suddenly there is.”
So far, the Greens have nominated Nicole O’Byrne and Andrea Johnson will run for the Conservatives again.
Comments