Megan Mitton holds a victory bouquet presented to her by her eight-year-old daughter Quinn
A tearful Megan Mitton began her victory speech Monday night by thanking campaign workers after her decisive election win in Tantramar.
“I don’t even think I can start without crying,” she said as supporters laughed and then, she laughed too.
“We did it!” she said.
It was Mitton’s third victory running for New Brunswick’s Green Party.
“I know that having a Green MLA here is not really about me. It’s about our community proving that we can do politics differently,” she said to applause and cheers.
Speaking in French, she noted sadly that her Green colleague Kevin Arseneau had gone down to defeat in Kent North.
But she promised to work even harder in the legislature with Green leader David Coon who won his riding of Fredericton-Lincoln.
“Yes, we have some change,” she said.
“Bye, bye, Higgs,” she added referring to the Progressive Conservative premier’s loss of his own seat as the Liberals led by Susan Holt swept into power with 31 seats, reducing the PCs to only 16.
“We’re not out of the woods by far,” Mitton warned.
“We still need change. We still need to fix the crisis in our health-care system. We still need to eliminate patronage and corruption from our political system.”
“Oh my Gosh,” Mitton said as her three-year-old son Henry rushed over and presented her a lego creation the children had been building while the adults watched the election returns on CBC television.
“That was not scripted, I promise,” she said as her supporters laughed.
“I’m going to hold whatever this is,” Mitton said.
Official results
Congrats from leading opponents
“I’m glad we have a Liberal majority government,” Liberal candidate John Higham told reporters last night.
“It’s too bad I didn’t get in, but that’s the way it goes,” he said, adding that the Liberals had to start from scratch in the new riding of Tantramar.
“It was difficult getting a whole bunch of people out to do things and we just had to do what we could do,” he added.
“I know that Megan was well considered here and I thought she would still do well, but I did think that we needed to have an opportunity to consider being part of government because I expected there would be a Liberal majority and I thought that would be good for us here.”
Both Higham and Progressive Conservative candidate Bruce Phinney congratulated Mitton on her victory.
“This was an adventure,” said Phinney, a 20-year veteran as an elected municipal councillor in Sackville and Tantramar.
“I had the feeling that it was going to be Green. I know the people in the town. I know their mindset,” he said.
“They voted for what they wanted and they got what they wanted,” he added.
Phinney noted that Mitton complained during the all-candidates forums that she couldn’t get things done for the riding because she couldn’t get a hearing from PC Premier Blaine Higgs.
“Well, I don’t see her getting the ear of this premier either, so I don’t know what Megan has really done over the last six years and what she hopes to accomplish over the next four but hey, I wish her the best of luck,” he said.
My friend Bruce Phinney said to my other friend Bruce Wark: “… I don’t know what Megan has really done over the last six years and what she hopes to accomplish over the next four…”
Here’s my entirely personal take. I certainly didn’t (and don’t) expect the Greens to be a majority party in NB in the last six years or anytime in the foreseeable future.
Rather, Ms. Mitten’s job as a Green MLA in NB is to represent the values and priorities of the citizens who live in the bubble of the People’s Republic of Tantramar (1) to the best of her abilities by shining a blazing light on both good and bad ideas, policies, and practices without regard to the individual(s) or party(ies) involved. To be an active and energetic listener, advocate, and truth-teller.
Where she can form strategic alliances with other individuals and parties in order to further our aims, so much the better… but that’s gravy, as they say.
My views only, of course!
(1) My rebranding of Robert Campbell’s clever nickname for our little ville, Sackistan.
Very well put.
That’s exactly what she does: making a segment of the population feel good about themselves, and feeding their smugness.
If that were all that she does/did, I wouldn’t find her half as annoying as I do!
Campbell called it Sackistan… ? Imagine that? I just remember when the Divesters did a “die in” in Robert’s offices and he was completely unflappable… he was a classy guy in some ways other than tearing down that old historic library to build the art centre I have labelled “The Big Clit” – but thanks for sharing Marc.. I call it Unescoville at this point, more honest really.
61% voter turn out in this riding of 8237 voters .. Megan Mitton’s 2468 voters put her in power .. but most people aren’t green is the reality when you see that chart.. thanks Bruce.. this made me feel a little better about the outcome… lack of interest in politics in Tantramar – so mostly a leave-me-the-hell-alone-ists in a rural riding with a green voice in Fredericton.. don’t expect any great things from Megan who is likeable and still going to make a great paycheque. At the end of the day I found the entire election boring and stale the only highlight for me was attending at the forum time with others… these forum would be useful if the public was engaged more often and on a regular basis.. useful to bring about needed discussions.
Thanks for covering the details Mr. Wark.
IMO, if Premier Elect Holt really does want to help NBers, she WILL listen to the voices of those elected, Liberal and otherwise. Megan may not have a ‘seat’ at the Liberal table, but she should have a seat at the New Brunswick table as an elected member of the Legislature. To fix health care and education, ALL ideas should be considered, and not just Liberal ones. To ignore any MLA – especially one elected three times to their place in the Legislature – says a lot.
Congratulations Megan. I think it is deserved recognition for all the work done in Tantramar.
I didn’t like Higgs for his knee jerk responses, but in fairness the Higgs government has broken a 40 year record in Canada for provincial debt reduction The surplus upside is from lower interest rates we pay. Keep your fingers crossed that Holt does not go Trudeauing with the money and thinking it is going to balance. When Higgs took power, the banks that loan money had us in the negative. The Dominion Bank Rating Service. Use it wisely or there is going to be pain for us all in the coming crash.
Thank you, New Wark Times .
Thank you, Megan.
Thank you to everyone who exercised their democratic right to vote in this
Province.
Sackistan?
The person quoted as coming up this (clever?) nickname is also remembered by many in this town as a mover behind the demolition of a very beautiful and important war memorial. At that point in time, an internationally renown Canadian architect said that the Russians were easier to work with than some university administrators in Sackville NB.
Meredith Fisher
Sackville NB.
Hi Meredith,
If I’ve learned anything in my life, it is that one does not have to agree with everything a person says, does, or opines in order to respect her or him.
Assuming you are referring to the “important war memorial” that I think you are, for what it’s worth, that was a done deal before I got to Sackville. And I too have very strong views about preserving the architectural character and history of this town. Would that our Mr. Potter were listening, but clearly he isn’t.
Finally, I’ve spent the last six or seven years trying repeatedly — albeit without success — to interest MTA officials in restoring to permanent public view an important artwork now in storage at the Owens, but formerly on display proximate to the memorial of which I believe you speak. (2) Indeed, I’ve offered several times to *donate the funds* to make it happen. Sadly, there seems to be no interest.
Thanks for your comment!
– marc
(2) Is that reference oblique enough? 😉