Miramichi

The riding of Miramichi is centred on the city of Miramichi in northeastern New Brunswick, situated at the mouth of the Miramichi River where it empties into Miramichi Bay on the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The city itself was formed in 1995 through the amalgamation of the former towns of Newcastle and Chatham along with several smaller communities including Douglastown, Loggieville, and Nelson. The riding extends into the surrounding rural areas of the Miramichi River valley, encompassing communities such as Doaktown and Boiestown upriver.

Candidates

Tilly O'Neill-Gordon (Conservative) — O'Neill-Gordon was the incumbent MP, first elected in 2008 when she defeated longtime Liberal MP Charles Hubbard — becoming only the third Conservative to win Miramichi since Confederation. She grew up in the Miramichi region and graduated from St. Michael's Academy in Chatham in 1967. She attended Teachers' College in Fredericton and began her teaching career in 1970 in the village of Escuminac. She had been working as a teacher when she was recruited to run for office in 2008.

Patrick Colford (NDP) — Colford was the NDP candidate, running on the strength of Jack Layton's national platform. He was active in the New Brunswick labour movement and would go on to become president of the New Brunswick Federation of Labour.

Keith Vickers (Liberal) — Vickers carried the Liberal banner in Miramichi, a riding that had been a Liberal stronghold for most of the previous century before O'Neill-Gordon's 2008 upset.

Ronald Mazerolle (Green Party) — Mazerolle represented the Green Party in the riding.

About the Riding

Miramichi's economy has historically been built on forestry, fishing, and mining, though all three sectors have faced significant challenges. The city is an industrial centre for pulp and paper manufacturing and lumber shipping, and the Miramichi River system is renowned as one of the world's premier Atlantic salmon fisheries, supporting both a commercial and sport fishing economy. The closure of the Heath Steele base metal mines in the 1990s and the downsizing of the forestry sector left the region struggling with job losses and outmigration. A major bright spot heading into the 2011 election was the announcement in August 2010 by Prime Minister Stephen Harper that the federal Public Service Pay Centre would be located in Miramichi, promising an estimated 550 jobs by 2016 — a significant boost for a community of roughly 18,000 people. The service sector had grown to become the city's largest employer. Federal concerns in the riding included support for seasonal industries, fisheries management by the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, and the broader economic transition away from traditional resource extraction.