Moncton East provincial by-election, 2007
Encyclopedia
A provincial by-election was held in New Brunswick
on March 5, 2007 to fill the vacancy in the Legislative Assembly
riding of Moncton East
.
As a result of Bernard Lord
's resignation, a by-election
had to be called within six months of January 31, 2007. The date was set for March 5, 2007. The governing Liberals
were hopeful that they could win the seat as it was held by Liberal Ray Frenette from 1974 to 1998 and because they are showing strength in recent opinion polls across the province.
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
on March 5, 2007 to fill the vacancy in the Legislative Assembly
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
riding of Moncton East
Moncton East
Moncton East is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Canada. Prior to 2007, it has been held by only two individuals both of whom served as Premier of New Brunswick. Ray Frenette, a Liberal who served as premier from 1997 to 1998, represented the district...
.
As a result of Bernard Lord
Bernard Lord
Bernard Lord, ONB, QC, is a Canadian politician and lobbyist. Lord served as the 30th Premier of New Brunswick from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
's resignation, a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
had to be called within six months of January 31, 2007. The date was set for March 5, 2007. The governing Liberals
New Brunswick Liberal Association
The New Brunswick Liberal Association , more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major political parties in the Canadian province of New Brunswick...
were hopeful that they could win the seat as it was held by Liberal Ray Frenette from 1974 to 1998 and because they are showing strength in recent opinion polls across the province.
Candidates
- The Liberal leader, Premier Shawn GrahamShawn GrahamShawn Michael Graham, MLA is a New Brunswick politician, who served as the 31st Premier of New Brunswick. He received a Bachelor of Physical Education Degree in 1991 and a Bachelor of Education Degree in 1993, he worked for New Brunswick's civil service before being elected to the Legislative...
, said he would not interfere in the nomination process, leaving it up to the riding to determine a candidate but that, as he has only three women in his caucus, he added that he "will be actively searching for women to run". Of the three candidates there were two men (Chris Collins, Daniel LeBlanc) and one woman (Gilberte Losier). Chris Collins, a Moncton city councillor, was nominated as the Liberal candidate. - Chad Peters, a staffer with the Conservative Party's legislative office, and a former Elvis impersonator, was nominated on February 10, 2007.
- Hélène Lapointe, a former president of the New Brunswick New Democratic PartyNew Brunswick New Democratic PartyThe New Brunswick New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial political party in New Brunswick, Canada linked with the federal New Democratic Party .-Origins and early history:...
, was acclaimed her party's nominee on February 17, 2007.