Liberal Seats In New Brunswick: How Many?

The number of Liberal seats in New Brunswick has varied over the years, with the incumbent Liberal Premier Brian Gallant securing 21 seats in the 2018 general election. However, the Progressive Conservatives won the most seats, with 22. In the 2020 New Brunswick general election, the Progressive Conservative Party, led by Blaine Higgs, won a majority government, while the Liberals did not fare as well.

The Liberal Party's loss of seats in the 2018 New Brunswick general election

The incumbent Liberal Party, led by Premier Brian Gallant, secured 21 seats, while the Progressive Conservative Party, led by Blaine Higgs, won 22 seats. Despite this narrow margin, Gallant initially stated his intention to remain in office and form a minority government with the support of the legislature. However, this attempt was short-lived as, on November 2, the Progressive Conservatives introduced a motion of no confidence, resulting in a 25–23 vote against the Liberals.

This defeat prompted Gallant's resignation as Premier, and he subsequently recommended that Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau invite Higgs to form a new government. On November 9, 2018, Blaine Higgs was sworn in as the new Premier of New Brunswick, leading a Progressive Conservative minority government.

The loss of seats by the Liberal Party in the 2018 election can be attributed to several factors. Firstly, the emergence of smaller parties, such as the People's Alliance and the Greens, who won three seats each, contributed to a more fragmented political landscape. This was the first time since the 1991 election that four parties gained representation in the legislature. Additionally, the Progressive Conservatives made gains by appealing to voters' concerns and capitalising on the Liberal Party's inability to form a majority.

The aftermath of the election also highlighted the challenges faced by the Liberal Party in securing support from other parties. While Kris Austin of the People's Alliance and David Coon of the Green Party held pivotal roles, they remained noncommittal in their support. Gallant's pursuit of a partnership with the Green Party, and his rejection of any arrangement with the Progressive Conservatives or People's Alliance due to differences in "values", further complicated the political landscape.

The Progressive Conservatives' gain of seats in the 2018 election

The Progressive Conservative Party of Ontario, led by Doug Ford, won 76 of the 124 seats in the legislature and formed a majority government in the 2018 Ontario general election. This was the party's first election victory since 1999. The Ontario Liberal Party, led by incumbent Premier Kathleen Wynne, lost official party status and recorded its worst result in 161 years. The Ontario New Democratic Party, led by Andrea Horwath, formed the Official Opposition. The Green Party of Ontario won a seat for the first time in their history.

The Progressive Conservatives' victory in the 2018 election can be attributed to several factors. One factor was the unpopular decision by the Liberals to partially privatize Hydro One in 2015, which went against their campaign promises in the 2014 election. Additionally, the Liberals were criticized for "ballooning provincial debt, high electricity prices, and costly, politically expedient decisions." These factors led to a decline in the Liberals' standing with voters, and the Progressive Conservatives were able to capitalize on this dissatisfaction.

Another factor in the Progressive Conservatives' gain of seats was the strong leadership of Doug Ford, who was able to unite the party and appeal to a broad base of voters. Ford positioned the party as a fiscally responsible alternative to the spending policies of the Liberals. He criticized the Liberals' pre-election budget, which promised billions in new spending and replaced the government's balanced budget with a $6.7 billion deficit.

The Progressive Conservatives also benefited from a desire for change among voters. According to Toronto Star columnist Susan Delacourt, this desire was driven more by emotion than by ideology. Poll analysis showed that the Progressive Conservatives had the lowest proportion of respondents (51%) who were not willing to vote for them, while the Liberals had the highest (64%). This indicates that the Progressive Conservatives had broader appeal and were able to attract voters who were dissatisfied with the status quo.

In conclusion, the Progressive Conservative Party's gain of seats in the 2018 Ontario election can be attributed to a combination of factors, including voter dissatisfaction with the incumbent Liberals, strong leadership by Doug Ford, and a desire for change. The party's victory marked a shift in the political landscape of Ontario and set the stage for a new direction in the province's governance.

The 2020 New Brunswick general election

Background

The previous 2018 provincial election resulted in a hung parliament, with no party winning a majority of seats in the legislature. While the Progressive Conservatives won one more seat than the incumbent Liberals, Liberal leader and Premier Brian Gallant stated his intention to remain in office and seek support on a vote-by-vote basis. Lieutenant Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau gave Gallant permission to continue in office, and he pursued a partnership with the Green Party.

However, the Progressive Conservatives quickly gained support, with Kris Austin of the People's Alliance agreeing to support a minority government on a "bill-by-bill" basis. On November 2, 2018, the Progressive Conservatives introduced a motion of no confidence in the Legislative Assembly, resulting in a 25–23 vote against the Liberals. Gallant resigned as Premier, and Higgs was appointed as the new premier on November 9, 2018.

2020 Election Campaign

In the lead-up to the 2020 election, the PC minority government's seat total dropped to 20 after the death of MLA Greg Thompson and the resignation of Deputy Premier Robert Gauvin. The Liberals and the Greens said they would not support the government at the next confidence vote, while the People's Alliance did not rule out a vote of non-confidence. However, COVID-19 was declared a pandemic on March 11, 2020, and all parties decided to cooperate, avoiding a spring election.

By the summer of 2020, COVID-19 cases had stayed low for several weeks, and Premier Higgs began to hint at the possibility of a fall election, arguing that stability was required for the next phase of the pandemic and economic recovery. The Progressive Conservatives carried out candidate riding nominations on August 8, 2020, and on the following Monday, Higgs made an offer to the opposition parties to avoid an election until 2022 or the end of the pandemic. Negotiations ultimately failed, and a snap election was called on August 17, 2020.

At his election announcement, Higgs blamed the Liberals for the failure of negotiations, while Liberal leader Kevin Vickers and Green Party leader David Coon criticized Higgs for calling an election during a pandemic. Vickers insisted that the negotiations would have given unlimited power to Higgs and that the election should have been held after the pandemic.

Results

The Progressive Conservative Party, led by Blaine Higgs, won a majority government, with 27 seats. The Liberal Party, led by Kevin Vickers, formed the opposition with 17 seats. The Green Party, led by David Coon, won 3 seats, while the People's Alliance, led by Kris Austin, won 2 seats.

The Liberal Party's loss of seats in the 2019 Canadian federal election

The Liberal Party of Canada, led by incumbent Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, suffered a loss of seats in the 2019 Canadian federal election, losing their parliamentary majority and the popular vote. Despite this, they managed to win the most seats and remained in office as a minority government.

The 2019 election, held on October 21, saw the Liberals secure 157 seats, a decrease from the 184 seats they had won in the 2015 federal election. This was the first time a governing party in Canada had formed a government with less than 35% of the national popular vote since the 1867 election. The Liberals won 33.07% of the popular vote, losing to the Conservatives, who won 34.41%. This was also the first time since 1979 that the party with the most votes overall did not win the most seats.

The Conservatives, led by Andrew Scheer, won 121 seats and served as the Official Opposition. The Bloc Québécois, led by Yves-François Blanchet, won 32 seats and became the third party, replacing the New Democrats, who won 24 seats and became the fourth party. The Greens won 3 seats, while independent MP Jody Wilson-Raybould won a single seat. The newly created People's Party failed to secure any seats, with leader Maxime Bernier losing his seat in Beauce.

Following the election, Trudeau ruled out a coalition and announced that his new cabinet would be sworn in on November 20, 2019. Despite the loss of seats, the Liberals remained in power as a minority government, needing support from other parties to pass legislation.

The Liberal Party's current leader, Susan Holt

The Liberal Party of New Brunswick, also known as the New Brunswick Liberal Association, is one of the province's two major political parties. The party has a long history in the province, dating back to the 1800s, and has been a dominant force in New Brunswick politics for much of that time.

Susan Holt is the current leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick. She was elected as the party leader on August 6, 2022, and has been actively involved in the party's activities since. Holt's leadership comes at a time when the Liberals are in opposition, aiming to regain power in the province.

Holt has been a prominent figure in New Brunswick politics and has expressed her commitment to advancing various causes. She has been vocal about issues such as government mismanagement, the need for brighter futures, and the importance of addressing concerns in specific ridings, such as Haute-Terres-Nepisiguit.

The Liberal Party, under Holt's leadership, has been critical of the incumbent government. They have highlighted concerns regarding the management of the province, including the handling of issues like travel nurse contracts, pupil transportation, housing, and mental health. Holt and her team aim to offer a fresh perspective and bring about positive change in the province.

Susan Holt's leadership of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick demonstrates her dedication to public service and her desire to shape the province's future. With her at the helm, the Liberals aim to regain their position as the governing party in New Brunswick and implement their vision for the province.

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