Tobique—Mactaquac

Following the upper Saint John River valley from the hydroelectric dam at Mactaquac north through the agricultural heartland of Carleton and Victoria counties to the bilingual border town of Grand Falls, Tobique—Mactaquac is a sprawling rural riding defined by its river communities, potato fields, and vast stretches of Appalachian forest. The riding encompasses the eastern portion of York County outside Fredericton, all of Carleton and Victoria counties, and the parish of Saint-André in Madawaska County.

Candidates

Richard Bragdon (Conservative) — A Woodstock native, Bragdon had spent more than twenty years as a pastor before working as a realtor, experiences he credited with shaping his focus on community service. He had run unsuccessfully in the riding in 2015, finishing second to Liberal T.J. Harvey.

Kelsey MacDonald (Liberal) — Originally from Grand Falls (Grand-Sault), MacDonald had worked in the provincial public service and for several federal ministers, most recently serving as director of parliamentary affairs for the Minister of Rural Economic Development. She was nominated as the Liberal candidate approximately one month before election day, after incumbent MP T.J. Harvey announced he would not seek re-election.

Rowan P. Miller (Green Party) — Miller ran for the Green Party in the riding.

Megan Aiken (NDP) — Aiken represented the NDP in Tobique—Mactaquac.

Dominic Guay (People's Party) — Guay carried the People's Party banner in the riding.

About the Riding

Agriculture is the economic engine of Tobique—Mactaquac, and the potato industry above all else. The Saint John River valley's fertile soils support one of the most productive potato-growing regions in North America, and the global food processing giant McCain Foods — founded in Florenceville-Bristol in 1957 — remains the area's signature employer. Woodstock, the county seat of Carleton County, serves as the commercial centre for the southern half of the riding, while Grand Falls, straddling the linguistic boundary between anglophone and francophone New Brunswick, anchors the northern end. Hartland is home to the world's longest covered bridge, a popular tourist attraction spanning the Saint John River. The riding also includes several First Nations communities, including the Tobique First Nation and Woodstock First Nation. Perth-Andover and Plaster Rock serve as gateways to the Tobique River valley, prized for its wilderness canoeing and Atlantic salmon fishing. Nackawic, a former pulp mill town on the Saint John River, has worked to reinvent its economy after the closure of its main industrial employer. During the 2019 campaign, agricultural trade policy, rural broadband infrastructure, seasonal employment challenges, and support for military families connected to CFB Gagetown were prominent local issues.