Quispamsis: A bellwether riding for 20 years
Residents' tendency to elect MLAs on government side has attracted major projects and funding
Quispamsis residents seem to have a knack for choosing the winning party in New Brunswick elections — a trend Liberal candidate Mary Schryer hopes to continue.
"I'm very aware of the voting history of the riding, but, you know, it all comes down to hard work," said Schryer, who visited a local daycare Tuesday afternoon with Liberal Leader Brian Gallant.
A health minister in the previous Liberal government, Schryer says people remember her work on projects such as the QPlex Recreation Centre, which opened in 2011.
"They know I was at the door when that was delivered. They also know I was at the door when we brought in Shannex [Embassy Hall nursing home], which brought in jobs."
Progressive Conservative candidate Blaine Higgs, and finance minister in the last provincial government, wants another term to finish what he's started.
'Good decisions'
"It takes time to get established in terms of a direction that is getting traction and to measure that performance in a way that is meaningful," said Higgs, who is running with the incumbent's advantage
Every trend with the exception of revenue generation is going in the right direction."
Quispamsis Mayor Murray Driscoll, who has been on council since 2001, says it never hurts to have the local MLA on the government's side.
"I make no apologies for our residents making good decisions."
Even if the trend of having a government MLA is broken, Quispamsis will be well represented in the next legislature.
With new boundaries, part of the town has been split off into another riding.
"And that gives us two people to support the objectives of our community," said Driscoll.