Angry in the Great White North

The riding of Moncton-Riverview-Dieppe is a riding to watch in any upcoming federal election, given that Brian Murphy barely won the riding for the Liberals in the last election.  In the 2006 election, Murphy handily won the riding by a margin of 17% of the votes cast.  In 2008, that margin shrank to a mere 3%, with just 1500 votes deciding the contest.

So this riding that has been Liberal since 1988 is now in play, and I am hearing a rumour that the Conservatives are making a major play for it.  None other than Bernard Lord, former Progressive Conservative premier of New Brunswick, is said to be seriously considering a run in Moncton. 

Bernard Lord is a popular figure in New Brunswick, and even when the Progressive Conservatives lost to the Liberals in the 2006 provincial election, Bernard Lord still led the provincial Tories to winning the popular vote despite losing the seats count (29 to 26).

Not only that, but Bernard Lord has a significant national profile, and that star power can help immensely, especially in a tightly fought race.

Remember too that the Liberals who think a fall election is a good idea are basing that partly on the premise that their bastion of seats in Atlantic Canada is a secure base upon which to build up a larger seat count in other, more closely, contested regions elsewhere in Canada.  If Bernard Lord lends his personal popularity to all Conservative candidates in New Brunswick and across Atlantic Canada, then the Liberals might find themselves fighting to just retain the seats they have instead of trying to increase their sear count.

Keep an eye on this story.  It'll be a boost if it turns out to be true.