Even before the writ officially drops, candidates hit the hustings in Carleton-York, Woodstock-Hartland and Carleton-Victoria
Even before the writ officially dropped, candidates for most political parties hit the campaign trail in the three Upper St. John River Valley encompassing Carleton County and portions of York and Victoria Counties.
The ridings of Carleton-York, Woodstock-Hartland and Carleton-Victoria provide the ruling Progressive Conservatives with one of the strongest footholds in the province. All three incumbents hold seats in Premier Blaine Higgs’ cabinet.
Carleton-York MLA Richard Ames has served as Transportation and Infrastructure Minister since replacing former Minister Jeff Carr in June 2023. Carr moved to the backbenches after falling out with Premier Higgs over disagreements regarding the government’s proposed changes to the Education Department’s Policy 713, which affected how schools dealt with trans students.
Woodstock-Hartland (formerly Carleton) incumbent MLA Bill Hogan, who sits as Education and Early Childhood Development Minister heading into the Oct. 21 election, found himself at the forefront of the Policy 713 debate.
He moved from Public Safety to take on the high-profile education portfolio to replace Dominic Cardy, who resigned from cabinet and caucus in October 2022.
Hogan, a retired Woodstock High School principal and former Woodstock councillor, became one of the province’s highest-profile cabinet ministers as he dealt with several hot-button issues, including Policy 713, staff shortages, and other education issues, which will be one of the election’s significant issues.
Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Minister Margaret Johnson, who joined cabinet shortly after winning the Carleton-Victoria seat in 2020, will seek re-election on Oct. 21.
All three ridings are historically Tory strongholds, but challengers hope to make inroads in this election cycle.
In Carleton-York, Ames will face a challenge from Liberal candidate Chris Duffie, a one-time staff member of former Tory MLA Carl Urquhart. Duffie, a resident of Jewetts Mills, is a familiar face in the riding’s political circles.
Dow Settlement resident Sterling Wright, another familiar face in the Carleton-York political process, will carry the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick’s colours into the race.
He will attempt to restore the party’s fortunes after it took a significant hit when PANB leader Kris Austin and the only other sitting member, Miramichi MLA Michelle Conroy, crossed the floor to sit with the Higgs government.
The Green Party of New Brunswick nominated longtime community volunteer Burt Folkins to run in Carleton-York.
The NDP has yet to nominate a candidate in any of the three Carleton ridings.
In Woodstock-Hartland, the Liberals nominated Woodstock’s Marissa Pelky, a veteran of the criminal justice system in her hometown, to challenge Hogan for the seat.
Charlie Webber will carry the PANB banner, while the Greens have Jada Roche, and the NDP has yet to choose a candidate.
Ernest Culberson will be putting his name forward to run as an independent candidate.
Carleton-Victoria has only two candidates nominated at press time to challenge incumbent Johnson for the seat.
The Liberals selected 34-year-old Negotkuk (Tobique First Nation) band councillor Julian Moulton to carry the Liberal banner into the Oct. 21 election.
With the election date established for several months, party leaders and candidates were in election mode for several months.
Most pundits and candidates see healthcare, as has been the case in most elections over several decades, as the most significant issue heading into the campaign. The problem has taken on even greater focus in the current campaign, as more and more New Brunswickers find themselves without a family doctor and emergency rooms find themselves in crisis.
Higgs, Liberal leader Susan Holt and Green Leader David Coon travel across the province to promote policy announcements and support local candidates. New and unknown leaders, the PANB’s Rick Deslauriers of Fredericton and the NDP’s Alex White of Saint John face an uphill battle to grab the public’s attention.
Holt has already visited Woodstock on Sept. 4 to offer support to Pelkey.
Check out RiverValleySun.ca for ongoing election coverage, including an interview with Holt and Pelkey during the leader’s Woodstock visit.
The River Valley Sun hopes to provide election information, interviews and news from all candidates leading up to the Oct. 21 vote.
