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Shawn Graham, Liberal, Leader of the Official Opposition MLA for Kent  Liberal
Leader Shawn Graham doesn't want the spotlight in this campaign
- and is instead hoping New Brunswickers will focus on the strength
of the team that supports him. It's an approach that bucks political convention in New Brunswick, where voters have a history of electing governments based on young, charismatic leaders. Graham wants the electorate to base its confidence in the Liberal Party on the slate of candidates he has attracted to the campaign. "I'm excited to be stepping up to the bat to show New Brunswickers that I'm there to fight on their behalf and that I'm there to represent their interests, but it's going to be the strength of our team. It's not just a one person show." That may turn out to be a wise approach. Of the three party leaders, Graham has the least experience, having gained leadership of the Liberal Party in May of last year. This is a party that was almost destroyed after the Progressive Conservative landslide in 1999, winning just 10 of 55 seats - then losing three of them in by-elections. Graham needs to work hard during this campaign to build confidence, both within the party and among voters. At 35, Shawn Graham is the youngest of the leaders. No stranger to politics, Graham is the second generation in his family to represent the riding of Kent for the Liberals. His father, Alan Graham, was only 25 when first elected as the member for Kent in 1967. He held the riding for 31 years, until his retirement. The torch was passed to his son in a 1998 by-election. Graham grew up in the small Kent County town of Rexton. He attended the University of New Brunswick and St. Thomas University, earning degrees in physical education and education. He worked briefly as a teacher before moving into his father's political circle, who was then Minister of Natural Resources and Energy under former premier Frank McKenna. Shawn Graham spent five years as his father's executive assistant, a job he took mostly because he wanted 'get to know' his dad. He then entered the civil service as manager for industrial development with the Department of Natural Resources, and resigned when he decided to run for office.  The
Liberals lost government and won only 10 seats in the last election,
under former leader Camille Theriault. Shawn Graham is hoping to
erase that defeat from voters' memories and go after the government
on key issues. Graham is hitting the hot spots of health care and
education, as well as what he refers to as "defining"
issues."The first is the government's decision to privatize NB Power and to sell off the assets. Very clearly our position has been that we want NB Power to remain a publicly-owned utility." The second part of this platform is auto insurance. "We'll be looking at clawing back some of the huge increases that the big companies have gashed New Brunswickers with." Graham will have to work hard to rebuild support for his once-mighty party. He believes he has strong slate of candidates, many of them first-timers, who will pump new life into the Liberals. |
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