Arlene Dunn and campaign volunteers shortly after hearing the news she was MLA-elect for Saint John Harbour. (Photo: Stephanie Sirois)
Dunn’s the one who won in Saint John.
Progressive Conservative candidate Arlene Dunn is the new MLA-elect for the Saint John Harbour riding with an unofficial 41 per cent of the vote.
Dunn said she didn’t foresee winning the riding but she and her volunteers put the effort in.
“I feel wonderful, elated. It’s been a tough last few weeks, but you know what, we’re just so happy to be here. Lots of work put in, lots of long hours, so it’s great to have this feeling. Wonderful. Wonderful. I’m excited,” she said.
Dunn said despite criticisms on social media, she tried to keep her messaging positive and share what was important to focus on.
“We put a lot of work in, lots and lots of work every day and didn’t take a day off. We were basically pounding the pavement every day, talking to voters constantly, getting out there, getting our voices heard, talking to them. So, I didn’t expect to win but we put the effort in,” she said.
Dunn said she’ll be consulting on what to tackle first after a discussion with the premier but there isn’t a shortage of things to look at in the harbour riding.
Top of the list will be tax reform, a new school in the south end, poverty and affordable housing.
She said it’s a big job but it’s not something new due to her past experience in the industrial sector.
“It’s just so exciting, it’s such a great opportunity for me to represent this riding and I’m really looking forward to it. Really I’m so thankful to the constituents and to the folks that came out to support me, and those are the people that I’m going to be making sure that I’m accessible to, and the people that I’m going to be pounding the pavement to do everything I can to make their lives better,” she said.
Dunn said she wishes the other candidates success and hopes to be able to work with them on some things.
She thinks they’re people who care about the riding as much as she does and they all put a lot of hard work in.
