Conservative says win in Miramichi-Grand Lake 'bittersweet' after national loss

Sam Farley · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 29, 2025 3:50 PM EDT | Last Updated: 2 minutes ago

While astir of New Brunswick's 10 ridings were settled comparatively aboriginal connected predetermination night, 1 stood out: Miramichi-Grand Lake.

Both Conservative Mike Dawson and Liberal Lisa Harris took the pb astatine antithetic points during a agelong nighttime of vote-counting. Harris conceded the contention aboriginal Tuesday, but even this didn't bring sheer elation to the victor.

Dawson was blessed astir his triumph — he got 18,431 votes to Harris's 18,037 — but the nonaccomplishment of the Conservatives to triumph nationally hurt.

"It's bittersweet," Dawson, a Progressive Conservative MLA since 2022, said successful an interrogation Tuesday.. "We were expecting amended results federally crossed the country.

"But provincially and locally it turned retired well, but federally wasn't what we were expecting."

Dawson's win ensured New Brunswick's electoral representation would enactment precisely arsenic it was the past time, with six Liberals and 4 Conservatives winning election.

The riding is ample and rural, including downtown Miramichi down to Grand Lake arsenic good arsenic portion of the Acadian Peninsula and parts of Kent County. 

Canada's quality with U.S. President Donald Trump implicit commercialized was a cardinal contented successful the national predetermination and got recognition for helping the Liberals win, but Dawson said helium didn't perceive overmuch astir Trump portion retired knocking connected doors.

"A batch of the worldly we heard, oregon astir of the worldly we heard, was each astir outgo of living."

Despite the nationalist loss, Dawson said, his ain absorption is the same.

"I'm inactive going to bash the aforesaid happening I was doing, whether we were successful powerfulness oregon not power. So it doesn't alteration much."

Dawson jumped into the contention aft Jake Stewart, who'd held the spot for the Conservatives successful the past Parliament, decided not to reoffer. There had been resignations from Stewart's bureau and speculation helium wouldn't beryllium capable to win.

Dawson said helium and Stewart "have ever been reasonably close," but determination wasn't overmuch notation of the erstwhile MP erstwhile speaking with voters.  

"People were fixated connected what's happening federally and with the section issues an,d that was astir of the concerns astatine the door."

Some anticipation Dawson focuses connected section issues

Paddy Vautour of Miramichi said helium was gladsome the Conservatives won the riding, "but I thought it would spell a batch amended overall."

Vautour said helium supported Dawson, who helium said didn't sound connected his doorway this election.

"He didn't person to," Autour said. "I'm a purebread Conservative."

He said seniors' pensions were the biggest predetermination contented for him, and it was disappointing the predetermination accent was truthful dense connected Trump. 

"It's not capable to unrecorded on, everything's going up. It's not casual to unrecorded connected 700-some dollars a month, you know?"

Maggie Clark, 18, besides lives successful Miramichi, and said she would person liked to spot the Conservatives triumph the state arsenic well. 

"I wasn't definite who was going to triumph due to the fact that it was truthful tight," she said.

But with Dawson winning, she said she hopes for much absorption connected the community.

"I'm hoping that we get, like, conscionable much absorption connected assemblage and possibly the drugs here, absorption connected that a spot more, possibly little the cause transgression rates and worldly similar that."

Different reactions successful Minto

At the different extremity of the riding, successful Minto, reaction from voters who spoke with CBC News was much mixed. 

Kevin Murphy, a Liberal voter, said helium didn't similar erstwhile premier curate Justin Trudeau, but with Mark Carney arsenic premier minister, "I deliberation I consciousness more comfortable going guardant for the adjacent four years."

Sebastien Riley, a first-time elector who conscionable turned 18, said affordability was apical of mind, and helium hoped for a Conservative government. 

"I mean, we're graduating successful astir a period and a fractional now. So we're benignant of reasoning astir our aboriginal and trying to fig retired if we're going to beryllium capable to spend anyplace to unrecorded different than our parent's basement."

Franco Morocco said helium was disappointed that 3rd parties took specified a deed this election. 

"It's alternatively bittersweet that it's ever that way," helium said. "We're going to yet extremity up astir apt similar the U.S., with a two-party system, and it conscionable ne'er changes. 

"I privation determination was a mode for radical to, you know, like, get unneurotic and say, like, we request immoderate existent alteration successful this country."