Fundy Royal

Fundy Royal stretches across the southern interior of New Brunswick, covering a broad swath of territory between the province's three largest cities — Fredericton, Saint John, and Moncton. The riding includes the towns of Sussex, Quispamsis, Hampton, and part of Riverview, as well as the rural community of Fundy—St. Martins along the Bay of Fundy coast. The Kennebecasis River valley runs through the heart of the riding, connecting the bedroom communities northeast of Saint John with the agricultural and resource-based towns further inland.

Candidates

Rob Moore (Conservative) — Moore was the incumbent MP, first elected in the 2004 federal election. Born in Gander, Newfoundland, he graduated from the University of New Brunswick Saint John with a business degree and from UNB Fredericton with a law degree, and was called to the New Brunswick Bar in 2000. He practiced law in Rothesay before entering politics. Moore had previously run for the Canadian Alliance in Fundy Royal in 2000. After his 2004 victory, he was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Justice. He was re-elected in 2006 and 2008, building a strong record as a reliable Conservative voice in southern New Brunswick.

Darryl Pitre (NDP) — Pitre carried the NDP banner in Fundy Royal, riding the wave of national NDP momentum under Jack Layton's leadership heading into the 2011 campaign.

Linda Wilhelm (Liberal) — Wilhelm was the Liberal candidate in Fundy Royal, running in a riding where the party had won only once in roughly ninety years — when Paul Zed took the seat in 1993.

Stephanie Coburn (Green Party) — Coburn was the Green Party candidate. She was also active in provincial Green politics, having run in the 2010 New Brunswick provincial election.

About the Riding

Fundy Royal's economy is diverse, blending commuter-belt suburbia with small-town industry and agriculture. The Kennebecasis Valley communities of Quispamsis and Rothesay function largely as residential suburbs of Saint John, with many residents commuting to the port city for work. Further inland, Sussex has historically been known as a dairy centre — it bills itself as the dairy capital of the Maritimes — and the surrounding area is home to significant potash deposits, with mining operations providing major employment in the region. The riding also takes in parts of the Petitcodiac River valley near Riverview and Salisbury. Agriculture, forestry, and small manufacturing round out the economic base. Key federal issues in the riding heading into 2011 included support for rural infrastructure, the health of the resource sector, and connectivity between the riding's far-flung communities. Fundy Royal had been a reliably Conservative seat, and Moore's incumbency and parliamentary profile made it a stronghold for the party.