Fundy Royal campaign targets middle class with focus on jobs

Candidates running in Fundy Royal are appealing to the middle class in the typically Tory-dominant riding, with a focus on jobsand the economy.

The Conservativeshavestrong roots in the southern New Brunswick riding this area has given its support to the Conservatives in every electionfor the past century, save for 1993, when Liberal Paul Zed won office.

In 2011, Conservative incumbent Rob Moore captured nearly 60 per cent of the vote.

Moore said he hopes the party's record, with its focus on the economy and direct benefits to people, will earn him another term in office.

• AUDIO: Green candidate: Stephanie Coburn
• AUDIO: Liberal candidate Alaina Lockhart
• AUDIO: NDP candidate Jennifer McKenzie
• AUDIO: Conservative candidate Rob Moore

The Tory incumbent pointed to programs, such as theUniversal Childcare Benefit, as well as family income splitting and pension income splitting, that has leftmore money in the pockets ofCanadians.

But, he said, he has also delivered on bringing federal cash to his ridinng.

Moore says the biggest question he's heard at the door is how the next government will move the regions's economy forward.

He says the answer lies in TransCanada Corp.'s proposed Energy East pipeline.

"The [Irving Oil] refinery is employing many people in our region, there's a lot of spinoff benefits, and if we can bring that resource from Alberta to New Brunswick to be refined and sold from our port, that is a great economic opportunity," saidMoore.

Liberals focus on seniors, middle class

The Liberals are trying hard to knock off the Tories. Liberal Leader Justin Trudeauhas already appeared in Sussex, the largest community in the riding.

Liberal candidateAlaina Lockhartsaid sheis trying to appeal her campaignto the middle class.

"That's the majority of Fundy Royal," saidLockhart, who has ownedLockhart's Weddings and Special Occasions Inc. since 2004.

"People working everyday to make ends meet and the fact that we have a national campaign focused on strengthening the middle class to put more money in their pockets to then stimulate the economy, I'm encouraged by that," she said.

Lockhart says her party's focus on seniors throughinitiatives likeaffordable housing, strengthening the Canada Pension Plan and guaranteed income supplement would benefit the region.

"They worked hardtheir whole lives and we need to make sure they have secure retirements," she said.

Hopeful for change

NDP candidate Jennifer McKenzie says she's sensing an eagerness for change in the large riding.

McKenzie, an electrical engineer living in St. Martins, threw her name in after becoming "discouraged and disillusioned by the current government."

People want our youthback, we want to have reasons to stay here.- NDP candidate Jennifer McKenzie

The region has lost a lot of its youth because of the Harper government's lack of focus on the economy, she said.

" be part of the economy and have jobs," sheasid.

"The current government's focus on the prairieprovinces in the oil and gas industry left New Brunswick and the Atlantic provinces neglected, and we actually had a three year recession here."

McKenzie says theNDP'sfocus on small business would better serve the area's economy.

"Our agricultural industry should be flourishing, we have to make sure we protect the family farm, there's fishing,forestry, I'm proud of our tourism initiatives, so much is a good fit to the NDP," she said.

Lost youth

The proposed Energy East pipeline is popular in many parts of the southern New Brunswick riding, but the Green candidate said it is the wrong way to attract investment.

StephanieCoburn, the Green Party candidate forFundyRoyal, says thepromise of 14,000 direct and indirect full-timejobsacross Canada is "hugely exaggerated."

"The pipeline is a bad idea for people locally and we heard about the pipeline spills in northern Alberta and Michigan, and that ... oil they hope to bring in through the pipeline is impossible to cleanup,"Coburnsaid.

"It's a bad idea nationally because it's all going to be exported And it's going to contribute so much to the greenhouse gases we're trying to avoid to the globe, and exacerbate global warming terribly."

Coburnsays she has heard encouragement for her party at the door, a big turnaround from when she first stepped into the political arena in 2010.

"Now I feel I'm finally not talking into the wind as I have been a long time about environmental issues," saidCoburn.

"People are aware of the environmental problems we experience, and we're going to experience if we don'tmake some changes. That's a positive change from when I first ran."

Fundy Royal contains parts of the counties of Albert, Kings, Queens, Saint John and Westmorland and includes St. Martins, Salisbury, Sussex and Petitcodiac, as well as part of Quispamsis.