The Progressive Conservatives sent Shawn Graham’s Liberal’s packing last night. It was a historic evening as it marked the first one-term government in New Brunswick history!

The Liberal campaign message was “the future matters”; but, for New Brunswicker’s – so does the past!

Building on an early lead as votes started coming in, the Progressive Conservatives finished with 42 seats to the Liberal’s 13.  The popular vote percentage was nearly 49%!

To make things even better, the Progressive Conservatives swept the Saint John region beating out many former cabinet ministers:

Voters in southwestern New Brunswick have beaten the Liberals black and Tory blue.

The Progressive Conservatives won a clear-cut victory on Monday, taking 11 of the region’s 12 seats, after carrying only five in the previous election. The Grits, meanwhile, were reduced to only one seat, after winning seven in 2006.

The Liberals were seemingly weighed down by too many issues unpopular with Saint John electors. The first measure that drew a collective boo was the Graham government’s flirtation with turning the University of New Brunswick Saint John into a polytechnical institute, which even the popular Doherty couldn’t sell as the minister responsible for higher education.

Then there was the end of early French immersion, which was offered at École Millidgeville School, where many of Saint John’s middle class and elite send their children for a bilingual education.

Perhaps most unpopular of all was the energy deal that would have sold much of NB Power to Hydro-Québec, a tough sell in an area that includes the Point Lepreau and Coleson Cove generating stations. The large employer has many high-paying jobs in the region, and Saint Johners were understandably nervous about what would happen to the bread and butter on many tables if the deal went through, no matter how many dollars they might save on future electricity bills.

My riding, Saint John-Fundy, was no exception.  Our PC candidate, Glen Savoie received an amazing response at the door; but, his opponent, Gary Keating did not:

Saint John-Fundy was up for grabs, with the departure of Liberal Stuart Jamieson, who briefly was shut out of his caucus for voting against the controversial NB Power-Hydro Québec deal.

Liberal Gary Keating lost the riding to Tory Glen Savoie. Keating said he didn’t have a good vibe going door-to-door during the campaign.

“You had an uneasy feeling that they weren’t voting Liberal…but they just wouldn’t tell you that,” Keating said. “They weren’t interested in talking about the Liberals and what they would do.”

Finally, below is a message from our new soon-to-be Premier, David Alward:

First of all, I want to thank you for choosing the Progressive Conservative Party as your next government, and on a more personal note, a special thanks to the people in my riding of Woodstock for returning me as their MLA.

I am humbled at finding myself the Premier-elect. I know the work ahead of our government is daunting, but I am confident we are up to the job, especially with the strong team of Tories that New Brunswickers have elected.

As I expect all New Brunswickers are only too aware, we have some serious fiscal challenges that will have to be faced. During the campaign I promised to get our financial house in order, and this will be a top priority. But it will be tackled responsibility, mindful of the necessary balance between reducing the deficit and maintaining key services. We will waste no time turning our attention to this.

Elections are emotional roller coasters for the candidates and their teams. While I am encouraged at the fine group of quality people that have been elected on our side, I want to offer my congratulations to all winners regardless of political stripe. I want to as well, thank those who ran hard but came up short. I especially feel bad for the Tory candidates who didn’t make it because I know you all gave it your all, and would have made excellent MLAs for your ridings, but that’s the democratic process in action, and part of what makes this country great.

I want to thank Premier Graham for his service to New Brunswick over the past four years. While we differ on style, approach and on many decisions, I have never doubted his commitment to the province, and he deserves the gratitude of all New Brunswickers for that. I want to personally wish him well.

In closing, I want to again say a very sincere thank you. I and my newly elected team will take the evening to relax and catch our collective breaths and for the first time in what seems forever. But then in the morning, the work begins. I’m looking forward to it.

Sincerely,

David