1987 New Brunswick general election

Last updated

1987 New Brunswick general election
Flag of New Brunswick.svg
  1982 October 13, 1987 1991  

58 seats of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
30 seats needed for a majority
 First partySecond partyThird party
  Frank McKenna2.jpg
NDP
Leader Frank McKenna Richard Hatfield George Little
Party Liberal Progressive Conservative New Democratic
Leader since198519671980
Leader's seat Chatham Carleton Centre (lost re-election)ran in Kings West (lost)
Last election18391
Seats won5800
Seat changeIncrease2.svg40Decrease2.svg39Decrease2.svg1
Popular vote246,702116,79843,033
Percentage60.39%28.59%10.55%
SwingIncrease2.svg19.09%Decrease2.svg18.86%Increase2.svg0.4%

New Brunswick general election 1987 - Results by Riding.svg
Popular vote by riding. As this is an FPTP election, seat totals are not determined by popular vote, but instead via results by each riding.

Premier before election

Richard Hatfield
Progressive Conservative

Premier after election

Frank McKenna
Liberal

Rendition of party representation in the 51st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.
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Liberals (58)
Progressive Conservatives (0)
New Democrats (0) Nb-seating-1987.png
Rendition of party representation in the 51st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.
  Liberals (58)
  Progressive Conservatives (0)
  New Democrats (0)

The 1987 New Brunswick general election was held on October 13, 1987, to elect 58 members to the 51st New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. The Liberal Party won power for the first time since 1967. They did so in a landslide, winning all 58 seats in the legislature. This feat was only accomplished one other time in Canadian history, in the 1935 Prince Edward Island election.

Contents

Background

The popularity of Richard Hatfield, who had served as a popular premier from 1970 through the 1982 election, fell due to scandals in his last term. In 1984, during an official visit to New Brunswick by Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers found marijuana in Hatfield's luggage. Hatfield was later acquitted of marijuana possession charges. As reported by the media, Hatfield was also alleged to have hosted parties with young men where illegal drugs were used. [1] He was criticized by opposition parties and by the media for extravagant use of the government plane, which he used to travel to New York City where he visited night clubs, earning him the nickname "Disco Dick". [2]

In 1985, three Saint John-area Progressive Conservative members of the legislature (MLAs) challenged Hatfield's leadership and led a brief caucus revolt after the Liberals won two by-elections in previously Tory seats, but Hatfield led the party through a fifth election.

Campaign

Hoping to boost his popularity enough to avoid defeat, Hatfield delayed calling the election as long as possible. It was finally held on October 13, 1987, five years and a day since the last election—the longest allowed by the Constitution of Canada. The Tories lost all of their seats, and Hatfield himself lost his own seat to Liberal challenger Allison DeLong by 19 points. Taking full responsibility for the defeat, he announced his resignation the night of the election while being interviewed by media outside of his Hartland home. Tory supporters had crowded into Hatfield's home, but abandoned him early in the evening as the returns began to come in.

Frank McKenna's Liberals were virtually assured victory from day one, thanks to Hatfield's scandals. However, they ran a very successful campaign that enabled them to garner an unprecedented clean sweep of the legislature. The New Democrats also suffered a moral defeat, losing their one seat—something they had won for the first time in 1982.

Opinion polls

During campaign

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firmLast day
of survey
Source NBLA NBPC NBNDP OtherMESample
Election 1987October 13, 198760.3928.5910.550.47
OmnifactsOctober 1987 [3] 6226124.5500
Baseline ResearchSeptember 30, 1987 [4] 6525104.0500
Canadian FactsSeptember 26, 1987 [3] 6227112.81,245
Baseline ResearchSeptember 10, 1987 [5] 5235134545
Angus ReidSeptember 1987 [6] 672210
OmnifactsJuly 1987 [7] 5921204.3700
Election 1982 October 12, 198241.347.4510.21.05

Edmundston by-election

Evolution of voting intentions at provincial level
Polling firmLast day
of survey
Source NBLA NBPC NBNDP MESample
By-election 1986February 10, 198663.2532.384.36
Baseline ResearchJanuary 31, 1986 [8] 583395 [9] 300
Election 1982 October 12, 198240.2453.096.67

Results

PartyParty Leader# of
candidates
SeatsPopular Vote
1982 Dissolution Elected% Change#%Change
  Liberal Frank McKenna 58181958246,70260.39%
  Progressive Conservative Richard Hatfield 5839380116,79828.59%
  New Democratic George Little 5811043,03310.55%
  Independents 10---1,9330.47%
***Total585858408,516100.0%
Popular vote
Liberal
60.39%
PC
28.59%
New Democratic
10.55%
Others
0.47%
Seats summary
Liberal
100.00%

Results by riding

North

Consisting of Victoria, Madawaska, Restigouche and Gloucester county ridings.

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
LiberalPCNDPOther
Victoria-Tobique Dr. Larry R. Kennedy 3,787 J. Douglas Moore 2,126Evelyn Hathaway 372J. Douglas Moore
Grand Falls Paul E. Duffie 4,124Réal Dionne 997Henri Soucy 224 Everard Daigle
Madawaska-les-Lacs Georges Corriveau 3,839 Jean-Pierre Ouellet 1,933Maurice Clavette 368Jean-Pierre Ouellet
Madawaska Centre Gérald Clavette 3,136Don Marmen 1,759Paul Morneault 386Gérald Clavette
Edmundston Roland Beaulieu 4,526J. Pius Bard 1,387Rodolphe Martin 394Roland Beaulieu
Madawaska South Pierrette Ringuette 2,597 Percy P. Mockler 2,272Jean-Claude Bosse 131Percy P. Mockler
Restigouche West Jean-Paul Savoie 3,479 Yvon Poitras 3,462James Gallant 262Yvon Poitras
Campbellton Edmond Blanchard 4,278 Fernand G. Dubé 2,244Clara I. MacMillan 362Fernand G. Dubé
Dalhousie Allan Maher 4,479Scott Chedore 919Stewart Beckingham 380Allan Maher
Restigouche East Rayburn Doucett 3,382Paul E. McIntyre 1,599Wayne Lapointe 190Rayburn Doucett
Nigadoo-Chaleur Pierre Godin 5,953Annonciade "Nancy" Arsenault 1,478John Gagnon 595Pierre Godin
Nepisiguit-Chaleur Frank Branch 5,086Claude Albert 1,029Harry Scott 323Frank Branch
Bathurst Paul Kenny 6,281René Pratt 1,126Richard Doucet 566Paul Kenny
Caraquet Bernard Thériault 5,642 Emery Robichaud 4,508Gérard Rousselle 171Emery Robichaud
Shippagan-les-Îles Aldéa Landry 5,601 Jean Gauvin 3,993Charles Rail 100Jean Gauvin
Tracadie Douglas M. Young 5,787Colette McGraw 3,081Serge Robichaud 823Fernand Losier (Ind.) 184Douglas M. Young

Central

Consisting of Carleton, York, Sunbury and Northumberland county ridings.

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
LiberalPCNDPOther
Carleton North B. Fred Harvey 2,687 Charles G. Gallagher 1,963Anna Marie Kilfoil 217Charles G. Gallagher
Carleton Centre Allison Winston DeLong 2,787 Richard B. Hatfield 1,853Kathryn Campbell 183Richard B. Hatfield
Carleton South Bruce Smith 3,059 Steven Porter 2,032Arthur L. Slipp 303Steven Porter
York North Bob Simpson 6,221 David Bishop 2,714Craig Melanson 1,075David Bishop
York South Al Lacey 6,894 Les Hull 3,485Gary Hughes 1,002H. Robert A. Storr (Ind.) 108Les Hull
Fredericton South Russ King 7,384 David Clark 2,672Shauna MacKenzie 2,323Harry John Marshall (Ind.) 116David Clark
Fredericton North Jim Wilson 6,667 Ed Allen 3,584Carman J. Burns 888Gordon "Brian" King (Ind.) 354Ed Allen
Sunbury Doug Harrison 4,551 Horace Smith 1,917Christina Corey 569Horace Smith
Oromocto Tom Gilbert 3,807 Joe Mombourquette 1,377Barbara Carr 436Joe Mombourquette
Southwest Miramichi Morris Green 4,676Kevin Price 1,390Patrick Kelly 180Burton Joseph Kehoe (Ind.) 70Morris Green
Miramichi-Newcastle John McKay 4,120 Paul Dawson 3,334Jeanne Theriault 214Paul Dawson
Chatham Frank McKenna 4,653Leon Bremner 1,044Patricia Marie Clancy 248Frank McKenna
Bay du Vin Reg MacDonald 3,026 Roger "Butch" Wedge 2,460Yvon Roy 130Butch Wedge
Miramichi Bay Donald "Danny" Gay 4,422 James K. "Jim" Gordon 2,575Joyce Carter 154Jim Gordon

South West

Consisting of Queens, Kings, Saint John and Charlotte county ridings.

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
LiberalPCNDPOther
Queens North Doug Tyler 2,212Constance M. Webber 1,442Ruth Nightingale 135 Wilfred Bishop
Queens South Vaughn Blaney 2,075 Robert B. McCready 1,296Susan Barton 256Robert B. McCready
Kings West Laureen Jarrett 6,717Don Horne 2,811 George Little 4,397 John B. M. Baxter, Jr.
Kings Centre Dr. Kal Seaman 4,419 Harold Newton Fanjoy 2,426Marian G. Jefferies 1,392Calvert M. "Colby" Fraser (Ind.) 403
Edward Freeman Gaunce (Ind.) 31
Harold Newton Fanjoy
Kings East P.A. "Pete" Dalton 4,662 Hazen Myers 2,737Mark Dibblee Connell 815Hazen Myers
Saint John Fundy Stuart Jamieson 2,724 Bev Harrison 2,399Ben Donaldson 1,459Bev Harrison
East Saint John Peter Trites 3,746Gary William Woodroffe 1,737Ervan Cronk 2,976Dolores H. Cook (Ind.) 375
Frank Brown (Ind.) 272
Peter Trites
Saint John Harbour Louis Murphy 2,705Gay Wittrien 830Kenneth Wilcox 768Louis Murphy
Saint John South John Mooney 1,974 Nancy Teed 1,133David Brown 1,416Nancy Teed
Saint John Park Shirley Dysart 2,596Jean Porter 820Paul Allen Maccovour 979Shirley Dysart
Saint John North Leo A. McAdam 2,753 Eric John Kipping 1,165Lesley Orill MacLean 952Eric John Kipping
Saint John West Jane Barry 4,208 G. M. Keith Dow 3,057Bob Jones 1,574G. M. Keith Dow
Charlotte-Fundy Eric Allaby 2,475 James Nelson Tucker 1,340Dorothy Matthews 220James Nelson Tucker
Charlotte Centre Sheldon Lee 2,431Stanley J. Smith 765Graham Richardson 133Sheldon Lee
Charlotte West Reid Hurley 2,286 Leland W. McGaw 1,434Ray "Bud" Parks 211Leland W. McGaw
St. Stephen-Milltown Ann Breault 2,054 Bob Jackson 1,922Rick MacMillan 132C. Ronald Campbell (Ind.) 21Bob Jackson

South East

Consisting of Kent, Westmorland and Albert county ridings.

Electoral districtCandidatesIncumbent
LiberalPCNDPOther
Kent North Conrad Landry 3,697Gérald Guimond 1,414Charles Richard 416Conrad Landry
Kent Centre Alan R. Graham 3,232Sammy Arsenault 662Neil Gardner 268Alan R. Graham
Kent South Camille Thériault 5,546 Omer Léger 3,242Gérald Mazerolle 522Omer Léger
Shediac Azor LeBlanc 7,219Allard Robichaud 2,087Omer W. Bourgue 858Azor LeBlanc
Tantramar Marilyn Trenholme 3,160 Lloyd Folkins 1,085 Robert Arthur Hall 1,825Robert Arthur Hall
Memramcook Greg O'Donnell 5,220 Clarence Cormier 2,914Claire Doiron 932Clarence Cormier
Moncton East Ray Frenette 5,131David Cutler 1,114Raymond Boucher 1,046Ray Frenette
Moncton North Mike McKee 6,570Stephen M. Trueman 1,083Chris Collins 1,099Mike McKee
Moncton West Jim Lockyer 4,853 Mabel DeWare 1,916David Lang 786Mabel DeWare
Petitcodiac Hollis S. Steeves 7,081 C.W. "Bill" Harmer 3,833Richard James Hay 2,368Bill Harmer
Riverview Hubert Seamans 5,357Dave Richardson 2,002Terry Boudreau 814Hubert Seamans
Albert Harold A. Terris 2,668 Malcolm MacLeod 1,818Eugene R. Marshall 765Malcolm MacLeod

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References

  1. "New Brunswick elections: 'Disco Dick' Hatfield loses support". CBC.
  2. "'Disco Dick' Hatfield loses support". CBC. Archived from the original on December 2, 2008.
  3. 1 2 Martin, Robert (October 10, 1987). "Hatfield's long reign will end on Tuesday, latest N.B. poll says". The Globe and Mail. p. A6.
  4. "N.B. Liberals far ahead of Tories, two polls say". The Toronto Star. October 4, 1987. p. A17.
  5. "Another poll suggests Hatfield in big trouble". The Vancouver Sun. September 19, 1987. p. A7.
  6. "N.B. Liberals top 2nd poll". The Gazette. September 21, 1987. p. A13.
  7. "Opposition parties use Hatfield's absence to advantage". The Globe and Mail. September 5, 1987. p. N8.
  8. "New Brunswick Tories face demand for change". The Star Phoenix. February 8, 1986. p. A10.
  9. "Francophones deserting Hatfield, poll suggests". The Gazette. February 5, 1986. p. B1.
Sources