Moncton byelection pits newcomers against longtime politician
A municipal byelection in Moncton will be a five-way race: four newcomers are running against the person who held the seat for 16 years.
The five were nominated by the Friday deadline and will appear on ballots on Dec. 10 when Ward 3's 15,355 eligible voters head to the polls.
The byelection in the city's largest ward will see Brian Hicks, the former councillor and 2016 mayoral candidate, go up against Troy Blakney, Denise LeBlanc Trites, Steve Lemay and Tim Murphy.
The council seat opened when Rob McKee resigned this fall. He was elected MLA for Moncton Centre in the provincial election.
Common issues raised by candidates in interviews Friday include the city's spending priorities, tackling homelessness and improving services in the growing north end region they'd represent.
The ward stretches from the city's northwestern limits to south to the area wedged between between Berry Mills Road, Killiam Drive and Mountain Road.
Hicks held the ward seat from 1999 through mid-2016, when he lost the mayoral election to Dawn Arnold.
Hicks said he's heard from residents who want his fiscal accountability presence on council again.
Murphy, who works for a transportation company and is a recent law school graduate, comes from an active political family.
He's the son of Moncton lawyer and former Liberal provincial cabinet minister Mike Murphy and recent PC Moncton South candidate and lawyer Moira Murphy.
Murphy said he'd focus on making the city more attractive for young families and businesses.
He also suggested the city be more creative when dealing with things like upgrades to the subway overpass on Main Street, where council approved spending more than $570,000 this year.
"I was blown away," he said of the amount, saying he would have instead try to find ways for members of the community to paint or work on the project.
Business experience
The only female in the race, LeBlanc Trites is originally from the city and attended the University of Moncton. She held various roles in banking, business and real estate. After a change in career, she said she wanted to do more to help people.
She hopes to see more of a collaborative approach between council and the public. LeBlanc Trites said the city has experienced a lot of growth, though that's come with issues, and the priorities of residents are shifting.
"I just really want people's voices to be heard," she said, adding she thinks dealing with homelessness is one area that needs more attention.
Blakney, a supply teacher and business owner, said he's observed council over the past six or so years and questions some city spending, such as $150,000 of city and provincial funds to secure the Ultimate Fighting Championship event at the Avenir Centre last month.
He said he's heard from residents while canvassing that they want the city to do more to address homelessness.
'Growing city' with challenges
Lemay retired in January after working for the City of Moncton in various roles for seven years. He was previously a CBC/Radio-Canada manager in Montreal.
His time with the city included handling calls from city residents about various issues, experience he hopes to leverage to represent people on council.
"I have a strong sense that Moncton is a growing city with a number of interesting challenges," he said.
He said the ward, much of it relatively new construction within his lifetime, needs more services and infrastructure. He said the new community centre is a good first step.
Growing ward
Largely suburban, it includes Magnetic Hill, four schools, retail and businesses on the south side of Mountain Road, the Coliseum, Casino NB and the NBCC campus.
It's also a growing part of the city. This year, council approved new subdivisions, daycares and apartment complexes.
A fifth school is under construction. The city and YMCA have partnered to open a north end community centre off Twin Oaks Drive.
Other regional races
Byelections will also be held in several other nearby southeastern New Brunswick communities.
In Alma, Clark Butland and Susan MacCallum are vying for a vacant councillor seat.
Marcel Doiron, Jean-Charles Dugas and Michel LeBlanc are running for the Ward 3 seat in Beaubassin East.
In Memramcook, Marc Boudreau and Robert Cormier are running for a vacant council seat.
Sabine Dietz, Julia Feltham, Shawn Mesheau, Brian Neilson and Dylan Wooley-Berry are running to fill the council seat in Sackville vacated after Megan Mitton was elected MLA for Memramcook-Tantramar.
Robert Campbell was acclaimed for the council seat in Salisbury.
New Sussex Corner, Shediac mayors
Roger Caissie was acclaimed as Shediac's mayor, a vacancy created when Jacques LeBlanc was elected as MLA in the provincial election. To run for mayor, Caissie had to resign his council seat. Jean-Claude Joseph Bertin and Cheryl LeBlanc are running to fill that vacancy.
In Sussex Corner, a village where resignations and retirements hobbled the municipal government earlier this year, Steven Stackhouse was acclaimed mayor. Gil Stackhouse and Paul Taylor are running for the vacant council seat.
