New Brunswick general election, 1991

Last updated
New Brunswick general election, 1991
Flag of New Brunswick.svg
  1987 September 23, 1991 1995  

58 seats of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
30 seats needed for a majority

  First party Second party
  Frank McKenna2.jpg
CoR
Leader Frank McKenna Arch Pafford
Party Liberal Confederation of Regions
Leader since 1985 1989
Leader's seat Chatham Ran in Miramichi-Newcastle (lost)
Last election 58 0
Seats won 46 8
Seat changeDecrease2.svg12Increase2.svg8
Popular vote 193,890 87,256
Percentage 47.11% 21.18%
SwingDecrease2.svg13.28%

  Third party Fourth party
 
PC
NDP
Leader Dennis Cochrane Elizabeth Weir
Party Progressive Conservative New Democratic
Leader since 1990 1988
Leader's seat Petitcodiac Saint John South
Last election 0 0
Seats won 3 1
Seat changeIncrease2.svg3Increase2.svg1
Popular vote 85,210 44,384
Percentage 20.69% 10.78%
SwingDecrease2.svg7.89%Increase2.svg0.23%

New Brunswick general election, 1991 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

Frank McKenna
Liberal

Premier-designate

Frank McKenna
Liberal

Rendition of party representation in the 52nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.
Liberals (46)
Confederation of Regions (8)
Progressive Conservatives (3)
New Democrats (1) Nb-seating-1991.png
Rendition of party representation in the 52nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly decided by this election.
  Liberals (46)
  Confederation of Regions (8)
  Progressive Conservatives (3)
  New Democrats (1)

The 32nd New Brunswick general election was held on September 23, 1991, to elect 58 members to the 52nd New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada.

Provinces and territories of Canada Top-level subdivisions of Canada

The provinces and territories of Canada are sub-national governments within the geographical areas of Canada under the authority of the Canadian Constitution. In the 1867 Canadian Confederation, three provinces of British North America—New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and the Province of Canada —were united to form a federated colony, becoming a sovereign nation in the next century. Over its history, Canada's international borders have changed several times, and the country has grown from the original four provinces to the current ten provinces and three territories. Together, the provinces and territories make up the world's second-largest country by area.

New Brunswick province in Canada

New Brunswick is one of four Atlantic provinces on the east coast of Canada. According to the Constitution of Canada, New Brunswick is the only bilingual province. About two thirds of the population declare themselves anglophones and a third francophones. One third of the population describes themselves as bilingual. Atypically for Canada, only about half of the population lives in urban areas, mostly in Greater Moncton, Greater Saint John and the capital Fredericton.

Canada Country in North America

Canada is a country in the northern part of North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic to the Pacific and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering 9.98 million square kilometres, making it the world's second-largest country by total area. Canada's southern border with the United States, stretching some 8,891 kilometres (5,525 mi), is the world's longest bi-national land border. Its capital is Ottawa, and its three largest metropolitan areas are Toronto, Montreal, and Vancouver. As a whole, Canada is sparsely populated, the majority of its land area being dominated by forest and tundra. Consequently, its population is highly urbanized, with over 80 percent of its inhabitants concentrated in large and medium-sized cities, with 70% of citizens residing within 100 kilometres (62 mi) of the southern border. Canada's climate varies widely across its vast area, ranging from arctic weather in the north, to hot summers in the southern regions, with four distinct seasons.

Contents

As expected, the Liberals won a large majority. Many were surprised that CoR formed the official opposition. Though they ran even with the PCs in popular vote, their concentration of support in rural anglophone ridings gave them considerably more seats. Weir's personal popularity and name recognition was not enough to give her party more seats as she, and the Tories, had votes relatively evenly spread around the province.

Background

Though Frank McKenna's Liberals were expected to win a second term after sweeping all 58 seats in 1987, any of the other three parties were considered contenders for official opposition.

Frank McKenna Canadian politician

Francis Joseph McKenna, is a Canadian businessman and former politician and diplomat. He is currently Deputy Chairman of the Toronto-Dominion Bank. He served as Canadian Ambassador to the United States from 2005 to 2006. He served as the 27th Premier of New Brunswick from 1987 to 1997, winning every seat in the province in his first election.

New Brunswick Liberal Association political party in New Brunswick, Canada

The New Brunswick Liberal Association, more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major provincial political parties in New Brunswick, Canada. The party descended from both the Confederation Party and the Anti-Confederation Party whose members split into left-wing and right-wing groups following the creation of Canada as a nation in 1867.

The New Democratic Party was led by Elizabeth Weir, who had been the strongest and most consistent voice of opposition to the Liberals since her election as party leader in 1988. In the ensuing three years, thanks to the lack of opposition members in the legislature (MLAs), her firebrand style had made her a well-known name in New Brunswick politics.

Elizabeth Jane Weir is a lawyer and politician in New Brunswick, Canada. She was elected leader of the New Democratic Party of New Brunswick in June 1988 and became an opposition voice to the Liberal government, which held all 58 seats in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick.

A Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA), or a Member of the Legislature (ML), is a representative elected by the voters of a constituency to the legislature or legislative assembly of a sub-national jurisdiction.

The fledgling Confederation of Regions Party had been created out of the ashes of the Hatfield Tories when the latter went from majority government to zero seats in 1987. CoR was running numerous former Tory MLAs and candidates, and even some former Tory cabinet ministers. Its base of support was in English-speaking regions of New Brunswick, where many conservatives had become alienated by Hatfield's close relationship with Acadians.

The New Brunswick Confederation of Regions Party was a political party in the Province of New Brunswick, Canada. It was the only branch of the Confederation of Regions Party to win any seats. It held official status in the Legislative Assembly between 1991 and 1995, before losing all its seats in the following election.

Richard Hatfield Canadian politician

Richard Bennett Hatfield, was a New Brunswick politician and the longest serving Premier in the province's history (1970–1987).

Tory A conservative political philosophy

A Tory is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved throughout history. The Tory ethos has been summed up with the phrase "God, King, and Country". Tories generally advocate monarchism, and were historically of a high church Anglican religious heritage, opposed to the liberalism of the Whig faction.

The Progressive Conservatives had been in power for the majority of years since confederation, and 17 straight years before 1987. Even so, the scandals of the final Hatfield years and the growing unpopularity of the federal Progressive Conservatives hindered their success. Additionally they had perceived internal problems having gone through four leaders since the last election: Hatfield, then two-year interim leader Malcolm MacLeod then Barbara Baird, and then Dennis Cochrane.

Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick political party in New Brunswick, Canada

The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right, conservative political party in the Canadian province of New Brunswick. The party has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony. It has historically followed the Red Tory tradition. The Progressive Conservative Party currently leads the provincial government since 2018 under Premier Blaine Higgs.

A confederation is a union of sovereign states, united for purposes of common action often in relation to other states. Usually created by a treaty, confederations of states tend to be established for dealing with critical issues, such as defense, foreign relations, internal trade or currency, with the general government being required to provide support for all its members. Confederalism represents a main form of inter-governmentalism, this being defined as any form of interaction between states which takes place on the basis of sovereign independence or government.

Progressive Conservative Party of Canada Former Canadian political party

The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada (PC) was a federal political party in Canada.

Close results

A number of races were close 2 or 3 way contests with only a small fraction of votes separating the winner from the losers. The tables below highlight the seats that the three major parties missed by less than 10 percentage points (pp) and the margins between them and the winner.

LiberalConfederation of RegionsProgressive Conservative
  1. Riverview (-0.27pp from CoR)
  2. Kings East (-0.33pp from PC)
  3. Shippegan-les-îles (-0.51pp from PC)
  4. Petitcodiac (-1.16pp from PC)
  5. Saint John South (-1.82pp from NDP)
  6. Southwest Miramichi (-2.35pp from CoR)
  7. Oromocto (-2.94pp from CoR)
  8. York South (-6.68pp from CoR)
  1. Queens North (-0.20pp from Lib)
  2. Petitcodiac (-0.60pp from PC)
  3. Kings Centre (-1.37pp from Lib)
  4. Saint John East (-1.56pp from Lib)
  5. Saint John Fundy (-4.91pp from Lib)
  6. Miramichi-Newcastle (-7.52pp from Lib)
  7. Carleton South (-7.55pp from Lib)
  8. Kings East (-9.17pp from PC)
  9. Queens South (-9.19pp from Lib)
  1. Carleton North (-2.55pp from Lib)
  2. Saint John Fundy (-2.56pp from Lib)
  3. Miramichi-Newcastle (-3.50pp from Lib)
  4. Kings Centre (-6.81pp from Lib)

Results

Results by party

e    d  Summary of the 1991 Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick election results
PartyParty leader# of
candidates
SeatsPopular vote
1987 Dissolution Elected% Change#%Change
Liberal Frank McKenna 58585846-20.7%193,89047.11%-13.28%
Confederation of Regions Arch Pafford 48-08-87,25621.18%-
Progressive Conservative Dennis Cochrane 58003-85,21020.69%-7.89%
New Democratic Elizabeth Weir 58001-44,38410.78%+0.23%
Independent 2--- 8500.21%-0.26%
Total224585858-411,590100%
Source: http://www.gnb.ca/elections

Results by region

Party NameNorthCentralSouth WestSouth EastTotal
  Liberal Seats:15814946
  Popular Vote:57.040.139.851.447.1
  Confederation of Regions Seats:06028
  Popular Vote:5.835.425.617.821.2
     Progressive Conservative Seats:10113
     Popular Vote:23.619.221.318.620.7
  New Democratic Seats:00101
  Popular Vote:13.05.213.312.110.8
Total seats: 1614161258

Results by riding

Legend

North

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

Electoral DistrictCandidates Incumbent
 Liberal CoR PC NDP Other
Victoria-Tobique Larry R. Kennedy 2,854Carl Skaarup 1,580Neville J. Crabbe 1,664Cheryl Ann Elizabeth Pelkey 308Larry Kennedy
Grand Falls Paul Duffie 3,617Roy Simon Dee 197Léo R. Thériault 1,209Clyde Winchester 207Paul Duffie
Madawaska-les-Lacs Georges Corriveau 2,906Raout Cyr 2,211Gérard Caron 601Georges Corriveau
Madawaska Centre Gérald Clavette 2,942Don Marmen 1,706Jean-Marie St-Onge 412Gérald Clavette
Edmundston Roland Beaulieu 3,686Patrick Dalpé 1,156Réal Couturier 719Roland Beaulieu
Madawaska South Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais 2,843Théo Poitras 1,715Julien Tardif 209Pierrette Ringuette-Maltais
Restigouche West Jean Paul Savoie 3,922Robert A. Boudreau 517Félix J. Dubé 2,524Rino Pelletier 302Jean Paul Savoie
Campbellton Edmond Blanchard 3,599Ronald Rioux 1,062Bill Ferguson 934Douglas Gordon Kingston 593Edmond Blanchard
Dalhousie Allan Maher 2,804Isabelle Ann Culverwell Davis 451Scott Chedore 608Aurele Ferlotte 1,927Allan Maher
Restigouche East Rayburn Doucett 3,023Norman Shea 381Richard Lapointe 294Walter Gauthier, Jr. 1,241Rayburn Doucett
Nigadoo-Chaleur Albert Doucet 4,732David Boudreau 466Raoul Charest 1,696Ulric DeGrace (Ind.) 714Albert Doucet
Nepisiguit-Chaleur Frank Branch 3,752Laurie Alan Daley 760Robert Hornibrook 616Karen Ann McCrea 1,172Frank Branch
Bathurst Marcelle Mersereau 4,047Laurie Joseph Robichaud 1,280Claire Wilt 1,025Colette Buttimer 832 Paul Kenny
Caraquet Bernard Thériault 5,298Gilbert Godin 2,279 Roger Duguay 2,167Bernard Thériault
Shippagan-les-Îles Aldéa Landry 4,831 Jean Gauvin 4,881John Gagnon 128Aldéa Landry
Tracadie Denis Losier 6,374Colette McGraw 2,103Pierre Cousineau 1,427Denis Losier

Central

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

Electoral DistrictCandidates Incumbent
 Liberal CoR PC NDP Other
Carleton North Fred Harvey 2,163Jack Salmon 857 Dale Graham 2,032Anna Marie Kilfoil 84Fred Harvey
Carleton Centre Allison DeLong 2,087Lois M. Clark 1,281Mary Hatfield 1,387Linda Marie Lawrence 104Allison DeLong
Carleton South Bruce Smith 2,462Jerry Covey 2,036Bill Hamilton 890 Arthur L. Slipp 254Bruce Smith
York North Bob Simpson 3,825 Gregory James Hargrove 5,463Mark A. Moir 1,174Chris Orenstein 450Bob Simpson
York South Al Lacey 4,754 Danny Cameron 5,607Marven Grant 1,797Rita Hurley 602Al Lacey
Fredericton South Russ King 4,584Meryl Sarty 3,295Jamie Henderson 2,575Pauline MacKenzie 1,463Henry John Marshall (Ind.) 136Russ King
Fredericton North Jim Wilson 3,864 Ed Allen 6,052Donald H. Parent 1,810Richard Stephen DeSaulniers 553Jim Wilson
Sunbury Shawn Perry 2,616 Max White 3,935 Keith Ashfield 799Barbara Ann Fairley 306 Doug Harrison
Oromocto Tom Gilbert 2,036 Albert Rector 2,197 Joe Mombourquette 939Alton Shears 297Tom Gilbert
Southwest Miramichi Claude Stewart 2,798 Brent Taylor 2,954Donald Long 701Larry Lynch 193 Morris Green
Miramichi-Newcastle John McKay 2,583 Arch Pafford 2,252 Paul Dawson 2,573Liane Tiboudeau-Doucet 315John McKay
Chatham Frank McKenna 3,147Jim West 1,563Richard Hilchey 598Wera Baldwin 383Frank McKenna
Bay du Vin Reg MacDonald 2,834John J. Keating 604Muriel Lamkey 1,608Jeanne Thériault 220Reg MacDonald
Miramichi Bay Danny Gay 3,940James Grant MacIntosh 638Emilien LeBreton 2,117Norman A. Richardson 493Danny Gay

South West

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

Electoral DistrictCandidates Incumbent
 Liberal CoR PC NDP Other
Queens North Doug Tyler 1,740Constance Melissa Webber 1,654Clayton Chase 256Susan Barton 94Doug Tyler
Queens South Vaughn Blaney 1,543Jarvis M. Ducey 1,205Larry C. Black 676Gordon Black 255Vaughn Blaney
Kings West Laureen Jarrett 6,219Glendon F. Jones 3,810Nancy E. Grant 3,267Roger M. Olmstead 1,494Laureen Jarrett
Kings Centre Georgie Day 3,011 Colby Fraser 2,882Charles Edward Murray 2,371Marian Jefferies 1,133 Kal Seaman
Kings East Tim Wilson 2,843Mel Stockford 2,098 Hazen Myers 2,871Anne-Marie Dupuis 617 Pete Dalton
Saint John Fundy Stuart Jamieson 2,213Gary William Vincent 1,868 Bev Harrison 2,033Kathleen Fudge 907Stuart Jamieson
East Saint John George J. Jenkins 2,785Gary Ewart 2,650Don Elliott 1,360Ben Donaldson 1,868 Peter Trites
Saint John Harbour Louis Murphy 1,779Marie Gerrior 844Nargis Kheraj 496Al Maund 968Louis Murphy
Saint John South John Mooney 1,596Ray McDevitt 549Paddy Addison 514 Elizabeth Weir 1,675John Mooney
Saint John Park Shirley Dysart 1,743Richard Condon Sullivan Kinsella 825 Shirley McAlary 733Judith Meinert 777Shirley Dysart
Saint John North Leo McAdam 1,892Peter A. Whitebone 950Doug Shippee 1,089Julie Galbraith 966Leo McAdam
Saint John West Jane Barry 3,527Jim Webb 2,471Gerry Maher 1,559Robert W. Hickes 1,382Jane Barry
Charlotte-Fundy Eric Allaby 1,950Keith B. Guptilt 957 Sharon Tucker 757Dorothy Matthews 183Eric Allaby
Charlotte Centre Sheldon Lee 2,195Connie M. Stewart 516Stanley John Smith 471Jean Stewart 162Sheldon Lee
Charlotte West Reid Hurley 1,796Mabel Groom 768Bev Lawrence 1,077Ellen Smith 281Reid Hurley
St. Stephen-Milltown Ann Breault 1,820Robert Michael Booth 798Ken Stevens 1,129Irene Tobin 114Ann Breault

South East

Consisting of Kent, Westmorland and Albert county ridings.

Electoral DistrictCandidates Incumbent
 Liberal CoR PC NDP Other
Kent North Conrad Landry 3,377Dominique Babineau 939Docile Doiron 1,011Conrad Landry
Kent Centre Alan Graham 3,025Percy Beers 626David MacDonald 347Neil Gardner 379Alan Graham
Kent South Camille Thériault 5,573Jean-Claude Cormier 2,023Gérald Mazerolle 1,256Camille Thériault
Shediac Bernard Richard 7,298Lester Russell Hyslop 481Emile Goguen Dupré 1,240Patrick Allain 830 Azor LeBlanc
Tantramar Marilyn Trenholme 3,008Clarke Edgar Sheppard 1,091William R. Campbell 556 Robert Hall 1,419Marilyn Trenholme
Memramcook Greg O'Donnell 6,393Julia Elnora LeBlanc 407Jean-Robert Gaudet 680Martin Aubin 1,797Greg O'Donnell
Moncton East J. Raymond Frenette 4,041William André Joseph LeSage 1,120John Hansen 1,026Mary Elizabeth McLaughlin 1,416Ray Frenette
Moncton North Mike McKee 4,797Tom Taylor 1,780John MacFarlane 1,262J.C. Bourque 973Mike McKee
Moncton West Jim Lockyer 3,558Arthur M. Hayden 1,691Ben D. Stymiest 1,483Stephanie Day Domingue 726Jim Lockyer
Petitcodiac Hollis S. Steeves 4,698Leona May Geldart 4,786 Dennis Cochrane 4,879Richard Hay 1,204Hollis Steeves
Riverview Hubert Seamans 3,115 Gordon B. Wilden 3,139Ross MacCallum 2,084Wayne Brown 594Hubert Seamans
Albert Lee Martin 1,432 Beverly M. Brine 2,328 Wayne Steeves 1,641Elizabeth Venart 277 Harold Terris

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