NDP Apology and Coon’s Rising Numbers

The NDP has apologized for the dark turn of their once bright social media campaign. The campaign which started as a friendly, bright, and optimistic outreach to youthful voters via the web has recently turned ugly. The NDP had released a video likening the Liberal Party to the genocidal Nazi Party. The move not only offended Liberals across the province but also minority groups which were murdereed en masse during Nazi reign in Germany circa the 1930s-1940s. Minority groups saw the distasteful smear as a dimissal of the tragedies they incurred. Initially, Dominic Cardy (NDP Leader) apologized but seemingly downplayed the significance of the video. He later apologized unequivocally.

The NDP still has not recanted the social media smear against a Saint John Liberal which fastened him to gay cruising. They have however, apologized to anyone that took it the wrong way.

The New Brunswick Greens have released some positive numbers for Green Leader David Coon. Poll results released by the party for the riding of Fredericton South puts Coon at 28% of the popular vote behind PC Craig Leonard at 29%. That is a statistical tie. The party has not released numbers for any other candidate in the riding and has not yet released the name of the polling firm which conducted the study.

CRA has released numbers for the province which show the Liberals still in a comfortable lead over the second place Progressive Conservatives but that the gap is closing. CRA says the PCs have made some gains, while the Liberals and NDP have lost some support. The fouth place Greens also made a 1% climb according to CRA.

Fighting for Fredericton South

It’s a new riding in the Capital Region. Even when this MLA is at the office, he or she will only need to look out their window to see their constituents. There are already five candidates in the running for this highly desirable riding; Craig Leonard for the PC, Roy Wiggins for the Liberals, former Liberal Kelly Lamrock for the NDP, Green Leader David Coon, and Independent Courtney Mills. The People’s Alliance have until September 2nd to nominate a candidate.

Craig Leonard is an incumbent for the soon to be defunct riding of Fredericton-Lincoln, and current Minister of Energy. Leonard assumed the ministership during a controversial period for the PC party when the former Minister of Energy, Margaret-Ann Blaney resigned just two years after the election to accept a position as CEO of Efficiency New Brunswick. This blatant display of patronage caused quite a stir for Premier Alward; responsible for the appointment of Blaney to the crown corporation. However, Blaney was causing some friction already as her riding executive had accepted donations from highway contractors with the insinuation of a favour being returned.

Roy Wiggins is a former Deputy Sheriff and small business owner who is eager to work with small business both in his riding and across the province should he win on September 22nd. Wiggins is proud of his city of Fredericton; having attended Fredericton High and St. Thomas University. He is currently a mortgage broker with Premiere Mortgage Centre.

One of the names most closely associated with the demise of Shawn Graham’s Liberal government is undoubtedly Kelly Lamrock. Lamrock upset nearly everyone in the province with his decision to eliminate early French immersion in the New Brunswick school system- despite strong opposition from parents, educators, and eductaion experts from across the country. Lamrock refused to concede. There was also a city-wide revolt in Saint John when Lamrock attempted to turn the University of New Brunswick (Saint John campus) into a polytechnic. Professors, students, and alumni marched in solidarity to oppose the plan. Graham then commited a cabinet shuffle and removed Lamrock from the Education Portfolio. How Lamrock became involved with the New Democrats is unclear.

David Coon, leader of the New Brunswick Greens, is the best chance the party has for winning even one seat in the legislature. Green policies are becoming increasingly popular over the last few decades but most mainstream parties have either missed the boat or offered too little to gain in this sector of the electorate. The Green party has made a name for itself by advancing ideas of how to better improve the environment while using these policies to potentially advance local economies (specifically in farming communities). But the Green Party is also burdened by the accusation that their sharp focus on the environment has narrowed their policies to exclude other key items such as industry, education, and healthcare. Coon is unquestionably one of the most experienced, intelligent, and well-meaning candidates in the entire province- but he lacks charisma, personality, and confidence. It will be interesting to see if the election will be enough of a shot in the arm to give Coon the personality he needs to win a seat.