Abel LeBlanc says he's not a New Democrat in his heart
CBC News | Posted: September 19, 2014 2:08 PM | Last Updated: September 19, 2014
Colourful Saint John politician switched from the Liberals to join Dominic Cardy's NDP
At the age of 79, Abel LeBlanc is one of the oldest candidates working the campaign trail this year and he is also one of the most colourful politicians.
This will be his fourth bid for a seat in the legislature, but it's his first race as a member of the New Democratic Party.
LeBlanc was the Liberal MLA for Saint John-Lancaster from 2003 until 2010 when he was defeated by Progressive Conservative Dorothy Shephard.
This time, LeBlanc said he's not running away from his Liberal past.
In fact, LeBlanc said he's banking on his own reputation — warts and all.
LeBlanc may be best known around the province for being expelled from the legislature during a heckling fracas with the Tories.
The former longshoreman gave his political opponents the middle finger and then invited them to “go outside.”
LeBlanc was left on the outside of the legislature in 2010 when he went down with so many other Liberals in the last election.
He didn’t decide to re-enter politics until his friend Ivan Court, the former mayor of Saint John, lost the Liberal nomination in May.
“For me, I felt that Peter McGuire unjustly, unjustly accepted the nomination in this riding,” LeBlanc said.
So, LeBlanc decided that he would run in the riding, but this time as a NDP candidate.
But newly minted New Democrat admits it is an odd fit.
“Am I an NDP person? Not totally in my heart,” he said.
LeBlanc will need to bring a lot of his former Liberal supporters over to the NDP if he hopes to reclaim his seat.
In 2010, Tory Dorothy Shephard won the riding with 50 per cent of the vote, LeBlanc received 34 per cent as a Liberal and the NDP candidate earned 10 per cent.
Liberal candidate Peter McGuire said he’s knocked on 4,000 doors in the riding so far in the campaign.
He said he has a well-organized Liberal team and they believe they are going to turn out the vote and take the seat.
”Politics has changed. Now it's identifying voters. It's getting those voters out. The old days of just shaking hands doesn't work anymore,” he said.
Dominic Cardy's NDP welcomed more than just LeBlanc to their team in this election.
Kelly Lamrock, the former Liberal education minister, is running in Fredericton South and former Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Bev Harrison is running in Hampton.
Cardy has used these political converts to show he's broaden the support base of his party.