The provincial NDP has a new leader in Jennifer McKenzie, who has been acclaimed as the only declared candidate.
The New Brunswick NDP announced today in Fredericton that Jennifer McKenzie has been chosen as new party Leader. #nbpoli pic.twitter.com/K2FZmEgWsF
— New Brunswick NDP (@NB_NDP) August 10, 2017
McKenzie succeeds Dominic Cardy, who resigned as the leader of the party and later moved to the Progressive Conservative party, and she takes over from interim leader Rosaire L’Italien.
McKenzie is an electrical engineer by training, and also worked in the high-tech industry for 20 years. In Ontario, where she moved to make her career as an engineer, she was also elected the chair of the Ottawa district school board twice.
“I think there’s a clear need for a real alternative for people in New Brunswick and since I threw my hat into the ring I am feeling that more and more strongly as people are looking for some change and we hope to deliver that change,” says McKenzie.
She says the party is already feeling revitalized and people are ‘flocking back’ to the provincial NDP.
“We have regained our membership…We’re starting to talk about ideas and get really excited. Our youth wing is really up and running and they’re generating some really exciting ideas and this province is their province and their future.”
Dominic Cardy stepped down from the leader of the NDP at the beginning of the year, levelling criticism at what he described as a tiny-minority of well-connected members refusing to accept the will of the NDP membership.
All the best to @JenMcKenzieNDP, new leader of the New Brunswick NDP.
— Brian Gallant (@BrianGallantNB) August 10, 2017
