Four candidates try to seduce the New Brunswick Liberals

The party will elect its next leader at the August 6 convention in Fredericton.

Applicants have until 4:30 p.m. Monday to submit their application, which includes a $30,000 fee.

Sunday night, Seamus Byrnean entrepreneur from Saint-Jean, had not yet officially applied.

At the end of the line, he explains that he still has to collect the signatures of party members necessary to submit his file. I finished all the other things, but I need to go get [les signatures] people I phoned, he assures. He says he is confident it will be done by the deadline on Monday afternoon.

In 2020, the Liberal Party won almost all of the Acadian ridings in New Brunswick.

It’s mathematical: to take power, the next leader must make gains in English-speaking constituencies.

The four aspirants claim that they are able to convince this electorate.

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Robert Gauvin

Friday, during a stop in Bouctouche, between meetings in the Acadian Peninsula and a campaign activity in Dieppe, Robert Gauvin, still in his vehicle, assured that he is able to rally English speakers to the Liberal Party.

” People tell me: it’s not your accent [qui est important]that’s what you have to tell us. »

They tell me: we have seen what you are capable of doing, when your back is pushed against the wall, you have chosen the population. Robert Gauvin is referring here to his resignation from the Progressive Conservative Party in the wake of the February 2020 health reform.

This is an element that comes up a few times in the interview. People know exactly what happened, it resonates all over the province.

Its priority, precisely: quality health care throughout the province.

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Susan Holt

That same day, Susan Holt was in Moncton finishing a meeting with a pay equity lobby group.

In an interview, she assures that the fact that she is English-speaking will work in her favor to break through with this electorate.

I am English speaking, I come from the Southnoted Susan Holtin excellent French. I think it’s a human advantage, there are those who seek to recognize themselves in politicians.

We want to see someone who has our experience, we want to make that connectionshe adds.

Its priority is transparency. A government of Susan Holt will be open, we will have open data and information to share.

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T.J. Harvey

In the early afternoon, at Clearviewsouth of Grand Falls, T.J. Harvey is back home after doing meetings in the Saint-Jean area. He plans to spend the rest of the afternoon on the phone.

He is also convinced that being English-speaking will work in his favor to reach this part of the electorate.

I can be honest, I can tell other English speakers in the province that it is difficult to learn a second language, specifically French, but that it is important for the whole province.highlighted T.J. Harveyin a functional French, but marked by hesitations.

On this subject, he recognizes that he would like to be more precise in the language of Molière. I’m not afraid of ithe said. Before the next election, I think my French will be better.

The economy is his priority in this campaign. The economy is going to be a hot topic in the province, along with interest and inflation.

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Donald Arseneault

In the early evening, still Friday, Donald Arseneault has just arrived in his hotel room in Saint-Jean, where he intended to campaign on Saturday with first responders.

Native Dalhousiehe says that his profile includes all regions, including English-speaking ones.

My wife is from around hartlandin Carltonhe gives an example, specifying that he also intends to present himself in the Fredericton area. But don’t take the North for granted either.

His priority is families. We are going to develop a family policy as we understand it on the Quebec side.

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Fragmented caucus, but friendly campaign

Eleven members of the Liberal caucus have publicly endorsed one of the candidates in the race.

T.J. Harvey is supported by Keith Chiasson (MP for Tracadie-Sheila) and Denis Landry (Bathurst-East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore).

Francine Landry (Madawaska-les-Lacs-Edmundston) and chuck Chiasson (Victoria-La Vallée) supports Susan Holt.

Robert Gauvin, for his part, is counting on the support of Rob McKee (Moncton-Centre) and Benoît Bourque (Kent-South).

Donald Arseneault says he counts on the support of five MNAs: Jacques LeBlanc (Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé), René Legacy (Bathurst-West-Beresford), Guy Arseneault (Campbellton-Dalhousie), Daniel Guitard (Restigouche-Chaleur) and Gilles LePage (Restigouche-Ouest).

The tone of the campaign is respectful so far, according to the aspiring chefs.

The leader will be determined using a preferential vote, ie on their ballot, members are asked to list their candidates in order of preference.

During each round of counting, the votes for the candidates in last position will be redistributed according to the 2nd and 3rd choices of the person who completed the ballot.

Often it never ends on the first lapexplains Donald Arseneault.

This is the kind of race where second votes are extremely importantadds Robert Gauvin.

We are friends, we work togethernoted Susan Holt.

It really is like a familysaid T.J. Harvey.