New Brunswick Liberal Association

Prior to Canadian confederation, advocates of responsible government ran under the labels Reform or Liberal while opponents of responsible government were known as Conservatives. With the debates over confederation in the 1860s the party lines which had emerged blurred as Reformers split along pro and anti-Confederation lines resulting in Confederation and Anti-Confederation Parties. Following 1867, supporters of Confederation generally became known as Liberal-Conservatives or just Conservatives. Those who had been against confederation regrouped loosely as Liberals but did not become a coherent party until Andrew Blair, as leader of the opposition in New Brunswick forged members of the parliamentary opposition into whet became the New Bunswick Liberal Party.

Unlike its sister organizations in British Columbia, Alberta, Manitoba, Ontario and Quebec, the NBLA serves both the federal Liberal party and acts as the provincial party.

Thus, its leader acts only in the provincial capacity but the party executive organizes for both provincial and federal election campaigns.

Commonly known to New Brunswickers as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or the Liberal Party of New Brunswick, it is one of two major political parties in the province with the Progressive Conservatives.

During the 1960s the Liberals under Louis Joseph Robichaud were instrumental in bringing Acadians into the mainstream of life in New Brunswick declaring the province an officially bilingual province with English and French having equal status.

The most successful Liberal leader of recent times has been Frank McKenna who led the party to a complete shut out in 1987 winning every seat in the provincial legislature and going on to serve as Premier for ten years.

Shawn Graham has been the leader of the party since May 11, 2002 and it currently holds 26 of 55 seats in the New Brunswick legislature.

Its federal wing boasts 6 of the 10 MPss in the province, including two cabinet ministers: Labour Minister Claudette Bradshaw and Minister responsible for Infrastructure Andy Scott.

See also:

• List of New Brunswick premiers
• List of political parties in Canada