1987 New Brunswick general election

Background

The popularity of Richard Hatfield, who had served as a popular premier from 1970 through the 1982 election, fell due to scandals in his last term. In 1984, during an official visit to New Brunswick by Queen Elizabeth II, Royal Canadian Mounted Police officers found marijuana in Hatfield's luggage. Hatfield was later acquitted of marijuana possession charges. As reported by the media, Hatfield was also alleged to have hosted parties with young men where illegal drugs were used. He was criticized by opposition parties and by the media for extravagant use of the government plane, which he used to travel to New York City where he visited night clubs, earning him the nickname "Disco Dick".

In 1985, three Saint John-area Progressive Conservative members of the legislature (MLAs) challenged Hatfield's leadership and led a brief caucus revolt after the Liberals won two by-elections in previously Tory seats, but Hatfield led the party through a fifth election.

Campaign

Hoping to boost his popularity enough to avoid defeat, Hatfield delayed calling the election as long as possible. It was finally held on October 13, 1987, five years and a day since the last election—the longest allowed by the Constitution of Canada. The Tories lost all of their seats, and Hatfield himself lost his own seat to Liberal challenger Allison DeLong by 19 points. Taking full responsibility for the defeat, he announced his resignation the night of the election while being interviewed by media outside of his Hartland home. Tory supporters had crowded into Hatfield's home, but abandoned him early in the evening as the returns began to come in.

Frank McKenna's Liberals were virtually assured victory from day one, thanks to Hatfield's scandals. However, they ran a very successful campaign that enabled them to garner an unprecedented clean sweep of the legislature. The New Democrats also suffered a moral defeat, losing their one seat—something they had won for the first time in 1982.

Opinion polls

During campaign

Edmundston by-election

Results

Results by riding

North

Consisting of Victoria, Madawaska, Restigouche and Gloucester county ridings.

|- || |Dr. Larry R. Kennedy 3,787 | |J. Douglas Moore 2,126 | |Evelyn Hathaway 372 | | ||

| |Réal Dionne 997 | |Henri Soucy 224 | | ||

| |Jean-Pierre Ouellet 1,933 | |Maurice Clavette 368 | | ||

| |Don Marmen 1,759 | |Paul Morneault 386 | | ||

| |J. Pius Bard 1,387 | |Rodolphe Martin 394 | | ||

| |Percy P. Mockler 2,272 | |Jean-Claude Bosse 131 | | ||

| |Yvon Poitras 3,462 | |James Gallant 262 | | ||

| |Fernand G. Dubé 2,244 | |Clara I. MacMillan 362 | | ||

| |Scott Chedore 919 | |Stewart Beckingham 380 | | ||

| |Paul E. McIntyre 1,599 | |Wayne Lapointe 190 | | ||

| |Annonciade "Nancy" Arsenault 1,478 | |John Gagnon 595 | | ||

| |Claude Albert 1,029 | |Harry Scott 323 | | ||

| |René Pratt 1,126 | |Richard Doucet 566 | | ||

| |Emery Robichaud 4,508 | |Gérard Rousselle 171 | | ||

| |Jean Gauvin 3,993 | |Charles Rail 100 | | ||

| |Colette McGraw 3,081 | |Serge Robichaud 823 | |Fernand Losier (Ind.) 184 || |Douglas M. Young |}

Central

Consisting of Carleton, York, Sunbury and Northumberland county ridings.

|- || |B. Fred Harvey 2,687 | |Charles G. Gallagher 1,963 | |Anna Marie Kilfoil 217 | | ||

| |Richard B. Hatfield 1,853 | |Kathryn Campbell 183 | | ||

| |Steven Porter 2,032 | |Arthur L. Slipp 303 | | ||

| |David Bishop 2,714 | |Craig Melanson 1,075 | | ||

| |Les Hull 3,485 | |Gary Hughes 1,002 | |H. Robert A. Storr (Ind.) 108 ||

| |David Clark 2,672 | |Shauna MacKenzie 2,323 | |Harry John Marshall (Ind.) 116 ||

| |Ed Allen 3,584 | |Carman J. Burns 888 | |Gordon "Brian" King (Ind.) 354 ||

| |Horace Smith 1,917 | |Christina Corey 569 | | ||

| |Joe Mombourquette 1,377 | |Barbara Carr 436 | | ||

| |Kevin Price 1,390 | |Patrick Kelly 180 | |Burton Joseph Kehoe (Ind.) 70 ||

| |Paul Dawson 3,334 | |Jeanne Theriault 214 | | ||

| |Leon Bremner 1,044 | |Patricia Marie Clancy 248 | | ||

| |Roger "Butch" Wedge 2,460 | |Yvon Roy 130 | | ||

| |James K. "Jim" Gordon 2,575 | |Joyce Carter 154 | | || |Jim Gordon |}

South West

Consisting of Queens, Kings, Saint John and Charlotte county ridings.

|- || |Doug Tyler 2,212 | |Constance M. Webber 1,442 | |Ruth Nightingale 135 | | ||

| |Robert B. McCready 1,296 | |Susan Barton 256 | | ||

| |Don Horne 2,811 | |George Little 4,397 | | ||

| |Harold Newton Fanjoy 2,426 | |Marian G. Jefferies 1,392 | |Calvert M. "Colby" Fraser (Ind.) 403 Edward Freeman Gaunce (Ind.) 31 ||

| |Hazen Myers 2,737 | |Mark Dibblee Connell 815 | | ||

| |Bev Harrison 2,399 | |Ben Donaldson 1,459 | | ||

| |Gary William Woodroffe 1,737 | |Ervan Cronk 2,976 | |Dolores H. Cook (Ind.) 375 Frank Brown (Ind.) 272 ||

| |Gay Wittrien 830 | |Kenneth Wilcox 768 | | ||

| |Nancy Teed 1,133 | |David Brown 1,416 | | ||

| |Jean Porter 820 | |Paul Allen Maccovour 979 | | ||

| |Eric John Kipping 1,165 | |Lesley Orill MacLean 952 | | ||

| |G. M. Keith Dow 3,057 | |Bob Jones 1,574 | | ||

| |James Nelson Tucker 1,340 | |Dorothy Matthews 220 | | ||

| |Stanley J. Smith 765 | |Graham Richardson 133 | | ||

| |Leland W. McGaw 1,434 | |Ray "Bud" Parks 211 | | ||

| |Bob Jackson 1,922 | |Rick MacMillan 132 | |C. Ronald Campbell (Ind.) 21 || |Bob Jackson |}

South East

Consisting of Kent, Westmorland and Albert county ridings.

|- || |Conrad Landry 3,697 | |Gérald Guimond 1,414 | |Charles Richard 416 | | ||

| |Sammy Arsenault 662 | |Neil Gardner 268 | | ||

| |Omer Léger 3,242 | |Gérald Mazerolle 522 | | ||

| |Allard Robichaud 2,087 | |Omer W. Bourgue 858 | | ||

| |Lloyd Folkins 1,085 | |Robert Arthur Hall 1,825 | | ||

| |Clarence Cormier 2,914 | |Claire Doiron 932 | | ||

| |David Cutler 1,114 | |Raymond Boucher 1,046 | | ||

| |Stephen M. Trueman 1,083 | |Chris Collins 1,099 | | ||

| |Mabel DeWare 1,916 | |David Lang 786 | | ||

| |C.W. "Bill" Harmer 3,833 | |Richard James Hay 2,368 | | ||

| |Dave Richardson 2,002 | |Terry Boudreau 814 | | ||

| |Malcolm MacLeod 1,818 | |Eugene R. Marshall 765 | | || |Malcolm MacLeod |}

References

;Sources

References

1. "New Brunswick elections: 'Disco Dick' Hatfield loses support". CBC.
2. "'Disco Dick' Hatfield loses support". CBC.
3. Martin, Robert. (October 10, 1987). "Hatfield's long reign will end on Tuesday, latest N.B. poll says". The Globe and Mail.
4. (October 4, 1987). "N.B. Liberals far ahead of Tories, two polls say". The Toronto Star.
5. (September 19, 1987). "Another poll suggests Hatfield in big trouble". The Vancouver Sun.
6. (September 21, 1987). "N.B. Liberals top 2nd poll". The Gazette.
7. (February 8, 1986). "New Brunswick Tories face demand for change". The Star Phoenix.
8. (February 5, 1986). "Francophones deserting Hatfield, poll suggests". The Gazette.