Peter Mesheau
Encyclopedia
Peter Mesheau is a politician
in New Brunswick
, Canada
. He represented the electoral district
of Tantramar
in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
from 1997 to 2006.
Mesheau was elected in a tight three-way race to represent Tantramar in a by-election
in 1997 to replace Marilyn Trenholme Counsell
who had resigned to become Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. Mesheau, a Progressive Conservative
received 34.1% of the vote to 33.2% for Liberal
candidate Ross Monk to 30.2% for New Democrat
Heather Patterson. The leader of the Confederation of Regions Party, Greg Hargrove
, was running as a parachute candidate and finished a distant fourth and last place with 2.5%. The margin of victory between Mesheau and Monk was only 39 votes.
Mesheau's victory happened in the midst of a leadership campaign
for his party which was won shortly thereafter by Bernard Lord
whom Mesheau supported. As a result, Mesheau was appointed to the high profile role of Health Critic in the shadow cabinet
.
The Progressive Conservatives won the 1999 provincial election
and Mesheau was named to the cabinet
as Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Culture. Lord restructured the government in 2000 and Mesheau took over the new Department of Investments and Exports. In October 2001 Mesheau was promoted to the high profile position of finance minister
. Following the 2003 election
, Mesheau was shuffled
to Business New Brunswick
, another department which had been carved out of his old Economic Development portfolio and one which had since annexed his old Investment and Exports department.
In February 2006, he left the cabinet altogether as a part of a shuffle in anticipation for the 56th New Brunswick general election. Mesheau said he had left willingly as he did not intend to run for another term. Later in 2006, Mesheau became a part of a media frenzy when it was learned that he had found a job in the private sector and intended to resign his seat in the legislature. His resignation would create a minority government
and Lord said he would call an election - 13 months earlier than scheduled - rather than face a hung parliament
.
The election was held on September 18, 2006 and though the Progressive Conservatives lost the government to the Liberals, the Tories retained Mesheau's Tantramar riding electing Mike Olscamp
.
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
in New Brunswick
New Brunswick
New Brunswick is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the only province in the federation that is constitutionally bilingual . The provincial capital is Fredericton and Saint John is the most populous city. Greater Moncton is the largest Census Metropolitan Area...
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. He represented the electoral district
Electoral district
An electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...
of Tantramar
Tantramar (electoral district)
Tantramar is a provincial electoral district for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, Canada. It was created in the 1973 electoral redistribution and first used in the 1974 election. It underwent only very minor changes in the 1994 redistribution. This was the first seat to elect a New...
in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick is located in Fredericton. It was established de jure when the colony was created in 1784, but only came in to session in 1786 following the first elections in late 1785. Until 1891, it was the lower house in a bicameral legislature when its upper house...
from 1997 to 2006.
Mesheau was elected in a tight three-way race to represent Tantramar in a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
in 1997 to replace Marilyn Trenholme Counsell
Marilyn Trenholme Counsell
- References :*...
who had resigned to become Lieutenant-Governor of New Brunswick. Mesheau, a Progressive Conservative
Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick
The Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is a centre-right political party in New Brunswick, Canada. It has its origins in the pre-Canadian confederation Conservative Party that opposed the granting of responsible government to the colony...
received 34.1% of the vote to 33.2% for Liberal
New Brunswick Liberal Association
The New Brunswick Liberal Association , more popularly known as the New Brunswick Liberal Party or Liberal Party of New Brunswick, is one of the two major political parties in the Canadian province of New Brunswick...
candidate Ross Monk to 30.2% for New Democrat
New Brunswick New Democratic Party
The New Brunswick New Democratic Party is a social-democratic provincial political party in New Brunswick, Canada linked with the federal New Democratic Party .-Origins and early history:...
Heather Patterson. The leader of the Confederation of Regions Party, Greg Hargrove
Greg Hargrove
Gregory James Hargrove is a former politician in New Brunswick, Canada. He led the New Brunswick Confederation of Regions Party from 1995-1999....
, was running as a parachute candidate and finished a distant fourth and last place with 2.5%. The margin of victory between Mesheau and Monk was only 39 votes.
Mesheau's victory happened in the midst of a leadership campaign
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
for his party which was won shortly thereafter by Bernard Lord
Bernard Lord
Bernard Lord, ONB, QC, is a Canadian politician and lobbyist. Lord served as the 30th Premier of New Brunswick from 1999 to 2006.-Early life:...
whom Mesheau supported. As a result, Mesheau was appointed to the high profile role of Health Critic in the shadow cabinet
Shadow Cabinet
The Shadow Cabinet is a senior group of opposition spokespeople in the Westminster system of government who together under the leadership of the Leader of the Opposition form an alternative cabinet to the government's, whose members shadow or mark each individual member of the government...
.
The Progressive Conservatives won the 1999 provincial election
New Brunswick general election, 1999
The 34th New Brunswick general election was held on June 7, 1999, to elect 55 members to the 54th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada. It marked the debut of both Camille Thériault and Bernard Lord as leaders of the Liberals and...
and Mesheau was named to the cabinet
Executive Council of New Brunswick
The Executive Council of New Brunswick is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
as Minister of Economic Development, Tourism and Culture. Lord restructured the government in 2000 and Mesheau took over the new Department of Investments and Exports. In October 2001 Mesheau was promoted to the high profile position of finance minister
Department of Finance (New Brunswick)
The Department of Finance is a part of the Government of New Brunswick. It is charged with New Brunswick's budgetary and tax policy and headed by the finance minister....
. Following the 2003 election
New Brunswick general election, 2003
The 35th New Brunswick general election was held on June 9, 2003, to elect 55 members to the 55th New Brunswick Legislative Assembly, the governing house of the province of New Brunswick, Canada...
, Mesheau was shuffled
Cabinet shuffle
In the parliamentary system a cabinet shuffle or reshuffle is an informal term for an event that occurs when a head of government rotates or changes the composition of ministers in their cabinet....
to Business New Brunswick
Business New Brunswick
Business New Brunswick is a department in the Government of New Brunswick. It is charged with stimulating economic prosperity and global competitiveness in the province....
, another department which had been carved out of his old Economic Development portfolio and one which had since annexed his old Investment and Exports department.
In February 2006, he left the cabinet altogether as a part of a shuffle in anticipation for the 56th New Brunswick general election. Mesheau said he had left willingly as he did not intend to run for another term. Later in 2006, Mesheau became a part of a media frenzy when it was learned that he had found a job in the private sector and intended to resign his seat in the legislature. His resignation would create a minority government
Minority government
A minority government or a minority cabinet is a cabinet of a parliamentary system formed when a political party or coalition of parties does not have a majority of overall seats in the parliament but is sworn into government to break a Hung Parliament election result. It is also known as a...
and Lord said he would call an election - 13 months earlier than scheduled - rather than face a hung parliament
Hung parliament
In a two-party parliamentary system of government, a hung parliament occurs when neither major political party has an absolute majority of seats in the parliament . It is also less commonly known as a balanced parliament or a legislature under no overall control...
.
The election was held on September 18, 2006 and though the Progressive Conservatives lost the government to the Liberals, the Tories retained Mesheau's Tantramar riding electing Mike Olscamp
Mike Olscamp
Michael Robert Olscamp is a politician in the province of New Brunswick, Canada, and a retired teacher. He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in the 2006 election as the Progressive Conservative MLA for Tantramar.-Biography:...
.