In a bizarre riding that emcompasses Saint John’s North End, Millidgeville, and part of the East Side; Portland-Simonds is a smorgasbord of different aspects of the electorate. The riding has students, retirees, union workers, doctors, nurses, the impoverished, the working poor, the wealthy, and the middle class, French, and English. There are four candidates in the running as of this week.
The first is Trevor Holder, Progressive Conservative incumbent. Holder, though well liked in conservative circles and carrying an extensive political portfolio, has served as a lackluster minister. His first term in the legislature was as a backbencher who brought very little forth and maintained the party line. In his second term he was made Minister of Environment and Local Government; his stance of both the environment and local governance was laughable. Universally mocked, the department was broken up and Holder was left with only the responsibility of environment. At this time in Holder’s career, the PC government of Bernard Lord was defeated by the Liberal party. But when David Alward came to power in 2010, Holder was boosted back up to a minister as Minister of Wellness, Culture, and Sport. Though Holder hasn’t been as mocked in this position, a report came out yesterday (Aug 30th) from the World Health Organization and Health Canada which states New Brunswick as the most obese province in Canada and that obesity has reached devastating levels (63% of NB adults are obese and 36% of NB children are obese). So it is safe to say that Holder has failed in this position as well.
The second person to throw their name into the hat was Liberal Michael Butler. Butler is heavily involved in the field of education. He has been a teacher, school administrator, district supervisor, and superintendent. Butler is likely to sweep the education vote in the riding and is bolstered by Gallant’s high approval ratings. His intentions are to invest more in education and improve New Brunswick’s rather embarassing status as a “functioning illiterate state”. He has seen the benefits of a stronger education system and wants to implement that across the province. Hoping that a better educated populace could better benefit local business and drive the economy forward.
Thirdly, Sheila Croteau for the NB Greens. It would be impossible to find anything negative to say about Croteau. Croteau is a well respected member of her community, a life long volunteer of a dozen causes, and an Off-reserve Chief who promotes education. Friendly, courteous, kind, and empathetic; Croteau’s only fault is that she is in a riding that her party has little chance of breaking. The Greens had little chance of breaking ground here before it became Portland-Simonds; but now with so much of the East Side (and employees of Irving Oil Ltd.) there is even significantly less chance of doing well in the riding.
Finally, the New Democrats only recently nominated a candidate for the riding. The candidate, Tony Sekulich was parachuted in from Fredericton. He serves as the NBNDP’s director of communications. He is a writer and screen writer. A graduate of St. Thomas University, currently with a project in development with CTV. In my experience (I’ve met all the candidates a number of times), Tony is about the least personable and most unlikeable of the four. Although an interesting candidate, I think Sekulich will have a difficult time changing minds and connecting with the people of Portland-Simonds.
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