Huntjens, Doucet recapture seats; Graham picks team

The Liberal Party will form a majority government in New Brunswick after taking 29 out of 55 ridings on Monday, September 18, and leaving the Progressive Conservatives with 26 seats in the Legislative Assembly. Despite the Tories receiving 47.65 percent of the popular vote to the Liberals' 47 percent, it is Liberal leader Shawn Graham who will be the next premier.

Winning re-election was incumbent PC Tony Huntjens of St. Stephen, who was challenged for the new Charlotte-Campobello electoral district by Liberal candidate Robert Tinker and New Democratic Party candidate Andrew Graham. With all of the 37 polls reporting, Huntjens received 3,157 or 49.76% of the vote compared to Tinker's 2,873 or 45.32% and Graham's 312 or 4.92%.

"Darn it," was Huntjens' lighthearted reply to the Liberal Party's success in the election. He quickly became serious and stressed, "I represent every person living in my riding, whether they're Liberal or Conservative. I don't know how they voted. I don't make that my business, and that won't make a difference on how I serve them."

"It will be a little different than being on the government's side. Sometimes you don't get the cooperation you would like," he notes. "But people have put their faith and trust in you, and that's gratifying."

"People made a choice, and you have to respect that," says Huntjens of the Liberal Party's victory. "We'll make sure the Liberal government is accountable."

In the new electoral district of Charlotte-The Isles, Liberal incumbent Eric Allaby stepped aside so incumbent Rick Doucet, another member of the Liberal Party, could run for the merged district seat, and Doucet was victorious. He was challenged by PC candidate Wayne Sturgeon of Grand Manan and NDP candidate Sharon Greenlaw, also of Grand Manan.
With all of the 39 polls reporting, Doucet received 3,618 votes, which was 55.57% of the share, while Sturgeon garnered 2,626 votes, which was 40.33%, and Greenlaw received 267 votes, or 4.1%.

"I try to provide my constituency with very solid representation," says Doucet. "I've taken on issues with a passion C housing needs, the social security issue C I won't stop until I get it fixed."

Graham appoints transition team
Premier-designate Shawn Graham announced the appointment of his transition team on September 20 in Fredericton. It will be chaired by Doug Tyler and include former finance minister Allan Maher and respected public administration expert Dr. Donald Savoie.
Tyler, who is also a former deputy premier, has most recently served as the co-director of Graham's 2006 election campaign. In addition, he was the campaign manager of the 2003 campaign and served as chief of staff for former federal minister Andy Scott.

Maher served as Frank McKenna's minister of finance from October 1987 until September 1995. A former mayor, he was first elected MLA in 1978 and represented Dalhousie for 17 years.

Savoie has extensive work experience in both government and academia, including serving as advisor to the World Bank and the United Nations.
Graham said he was confident in his team to ensure the transition would be smooth.