Who needs to campaign when you have political celebrities dropping in for a photo op? Brian Gallant has some major star power to lean on during what has otherwise been called a rocky start to the campaign. The polls are showing Gallant is in a most comfortable lead over David Alward, but that the margin has narrowed slightly (according to Corporate Research Associates). Most notably, popular federal leader Justin Trudeau spent a good deal of time with Gallant for photo ops and speaking engagements, as well as taking part in an ALS Ice Bucket Challenge. Former Prime Minister Paul Martin also stopped in for a shot with former Saint John MP Paul Zed and Gallant.
Despite the star power and the Big Red Bus, critics have noted that Gallant’s campaign got off to a difficult start. Michael Camp, a profession of journalism and public policy at St Thomas University said that Gallant’s campaign has had difficulty in articulating a message. Plagued by gaffes and miscommunications, Gallant has appeared uninformed, unprepared, and unrealistic.
Gallant has been attacked on all sides for his big spending plans and his quickness to simply borrow the funds to do so. Gallant also used dated information to attack the Alward government, a foley for two reasons; the point he made in his attack was a decision made by NB Liquor, not the government, and secondly because NB Liquor had already overturned the decision weeks before Gallant attacked it.
The Alward campaign hasn’t exactly been off to a jetting start either. With the slogan, “Say Yes”, the electcion is for Alward, a referendum on shale gas. In effect, he is asking New Brunswickers to say yes to shale gas and end the years long protest which has seen banners, t-shirts, bumper stickers, and window signs proposing to “Say No to Shale Gas”. Further adding to the difficulty of the Alward campaign, no political guest appearances have been made as of yet. Nor would it be likely to help, New Brunswickers are becoming increasingly opposed to Prime Minister Stephen Harper and his Conservative Party.
The only other party, in fact, to receive “celebrity” star power is David Coon’s Green Party of New Brunswick. Fredericton played host to the Green Party convention and the myriad of guests including federal party leader Elizabeth May, deputy leader Bruce Hyer, and others.
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