Autumn. The trees are like an artist’s palate; a beautiful blend of orange, yellow, and crimson red. Everyday New Brunswickers can look out their windows and see a tree that was yesterday green but today red and orange. But this autumn it is not only the leaves changing colour, but also the signage on the front lawns of East Side Saint Johners. Topeka Street, Courtenay Avenue, Bayside Drive, Westmorland Roadand all of East Saint John is lighting up with bright signs and smiling faces; but not as it was before September 22nd.
Only slightly more than a month has passed, but it might as well have been four years. Many lawns which once boasted scarlet signage with the Keating name are now Green or even moreso; orange. The riding which saw the New Democrat star rise in a 1984 by-election now seems to be leaning that way once more; exactly 30 years later. NDP Leader Dominic Cardy accepted his party’s request to run in the by-election (with the blessing of Phil Comeau who ran in the general election) and seems to be out to an early lead. If you use the change in lawn signs as an indicator, Cardy has gained the most from the Liberal abdication. But the Greens have also picked up some lawn share.
Not surprisingly, Shelley Rinehart and the Liberal brand is having trouble gaining traction in the smited riding. However, Glen Savoie doesn’t seem to have cumulated the support he had prior to the election either. Savoie, who’s greatest accomplishment listed on his PCNB page is being a fully certified martial arts instructor, has reissued his same signage but added a blue banner pleading voters to “Just Say Yes”. But it would appear that the close-knit riding is not ready to vote for the direct opposition of the government anymore than they are to vote for the party that let them down. East Siders appear to be leaning towards electing someone who will work in conjunction with the governing party without being a part of the pack.
Despite the lacklustre performance of the Liberals; Savoie is targeting them in his attacks. Hiw Twitter currently has an unflattering picture of Rinehart with a vague and misleading accusation that she was part of the attempt to sell NB Power. Rinehart was, at the time, an advisor, one of many, to the Liberal Minister of Energy when the plan came forth to sell the Crown Corporation; but there isn’t any evidence to link Rinehart to the decision. The proud family man uses allusion and misdirection to attack a respected opponent and then paints himself a saint with a personal call to aid in a food drive for a local food bank shortly after.
Election day is November 17th.
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