“As Leader of the Official Opposition, I would like to offer my most sincere congratulations to everyone who participated in the 2021 municipal elections. Deciding to put your name forward and running an election campaign is a notable accomplishment, no matter the outcome. It is also important to thank everyone who voted for their local office. Strong communities are built on the participation and involvement of their citizens, and today all our communities are a little bit stronger.

Last night’s results saw a diverse group of people being elected to local office. As a province, we should be proud to see so many women, racialized people and young people join the world of public service and take on leadership roles in their communities. There is a lot to be proud of in New Brunswick today!

Unfortunately, after having already delayed the results by two weeks, issues with the tabulation of results left many waiting hours. While it is understandable that Covid-19 restrictions had an impact on the electoral process, Elections New Brunswick should have had sufficient time to prepare and successfully execute a plan to process all the ballots. I think it would be beneficial for Elections NB to come before the Standing Committee on Procedure, Privileges and Legislative Officers to detail the challenges they faced during the 2021 municipal elections.”

Roger Melanson

Leader of the Official Opposition