CBC News political reporter Jacques Poitras covers the issues, personalities and campaign stories for New Brunswick Votes 2006
The election’s over and New Brunswick is preparing for the swearing-in of the Liberal government of Shawn Graham, something that seemed all but assured last fall, less than certain in the spring, questionable in August and suddenly possible again in the last two weeks.
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Who's in? Who's out? Why?
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As I write, Bernard Lord is moving towards the stage. What a different look on his face tonight compared to 1999, when he was practically carried through the crowd and onto the stage by a wave of excitement and energy.
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The Tories tried to portray Shawn Graham as not being ready for the job of premier. The voters clearly didn't buy it.
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Several Conservatives who posted comments to this blog predicted that Shawn Graham would lose his seat in Kent. He didn't, but it must be acknowledged he was in a relatively close race for a leader in one of his own party's strongholds.
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Quick thoughts on some of the implications:
The popular vote is tied right now, 47.2 per cent each for the Liberals and Tories, and yet the Liberals eke out a three-seat margin (for now). It raises the issue of proportional representation - an electoral system that the Tories had planned to put to a referendum, but that the Liberals weren't that interested in. And the Liberals have even more reason to prefer the status quo tonight.
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A surprising outcome, but perhaps it shouldn't be.
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We're just 45 minutes into the counting and it's very close. The Liberals have inched up to 28 seats, but that could change as more numbers come in. The Tories trail with 24.
I will be on the air tonight covering the election results for CBC Radio, but as part of the great CBC blogging experiment, I will attempt to "live blog" some thoughts as the results are coming in.
Jacques Poitras is CBC Radio's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick. He has reported on the province's politics for The Current, The House, Don Newman's Politics, and other CBC and Radio-Canada programs. He is also the author of The Right Fight: Bernard Lord and the Conservative Dilemma, published by Goose Lane Editions.
