FREDERICTON — Daniel Allain is the new leader of New Brunswick’s Progressive Conservative party after taking the majority of ballots in a two-person race. The upbeat former provincial cabinet minister took to the stage after he was declared the winner Saturday at a party leadership convention and vowed to create a “broad and welcoming” coalition. “Whether you’re a man or a woman; English or French; rural or urban; North, South, East, West; a person of faith, a member of the LGBTQ community, a young person … you belong to this party,” he said. Now, he said, the party needs to put aside its differences and offer the province an alternative to the country’s only Liberal provincial government. “We are at our best when we are socially progressive, fiscally conservative, believe in the rights of the individual, prioritize private growth, believe in bilingualism, care for society’s most vulnerable, are fiscally responsible, and work to create strong families and communities.” He criticized Premier Susan Holt’s government for record multibillion-dollar budget deficits, deteriorating health care access, poor public education outcomes, high cost of living and public safety concerns. And he announced plans for a party policy convention in early 2027 to work out a platform for the next general election scheduled for October 2028. “We will show you a better plan for a stronger New Brunswick,” he told hundreds of party members at a convention hall in downtown Fredericton. “I need you with me because it’s time to think big.” Allain, who does not have a seat in the legislature, replaces former premier Blaine Higgs who quit after the party lost its majority government to the Liberals in the 2024 election. He has been involved in New Brunswick politics off and on for more than two decades, in between stints working as a business executive. Allain worked in former Progressive Conservative premier Bernard Lord’s office for four years starting in 1999, according to a biography included in his campaign material. He later ran as a stand-in federal Conservative candidate for a Moncton-area riding in 2008. In 2013, he was appointed as a deputy minister in former PC premier David Alward’s office. After serving four years as a city councillor for francophone-majority Dieppe, N.B., Allain was elected to the provincial legislature in 2020 representing a Moncton-area riding and appointed local government minister by Higgs. He was kicked from cabinet three years later when he voted with opposition parties to request a review of the Higgs government’s changes to a school policy on LGBTQ students. Under Higgs’ revised policy, in part, teachers weren’t required to use the preferred pronouns or names of transgender or non-binary students under the age of 16. Holt reversed the change after coming to power. Allain told reporters the party will have a “robust discussion” on the policy as the party firms up its election platform ahead of the next election scheduled for October 2028. But he added the party has chosen a leader that believes in a “socially progressive party and a fiscally conservative party.” Allain won the leadership with 58.5 per cent of the ballots cast between him and his competitor Don Monahan, a rookie legislator who was elected to New Brunswick’s legislative assembly two years ago. There were also 118 incomplete and six spoiled ballots, the party said. Jamie Gilles, a communications and public policy instructor at St. Thomas University, said Allain had a decisive victory that offers the Progressive Conservatives a chance to broaden their appeal. He said with Allain as leader the party could win back seats in New Brunswick’s francophone north, areas of Moncton and the suburbs of Saint John. “You’ve got to bring progressive conservatives, social conservatives (and) fiscal conservatives together. It’s really the only way conservative parties can win at the provincial and federal level in this country,” Gilles said. Some party members at the convention Saturday said Allain worked a tireless ground game for the last two years to get the support he did, after he decided not to run in the 2024 provincial election. For his part, Monahan said he supported Allain’s leadership and called for a unified party. He added it was up to Allain to chose a current Progressive Conservative legislator to serve as the leader of the official Opposition. Allain said he didn’t need a seat in the legislative assembly as he leads the effort to rebuild his party, pointing out there have been premiers in the past who did not have seats when they were elected leader. Holt congratulated Allain on his election. “I wish him well in his new role and look forward to seeing him back in the legislature someday soon,” she said in a post to social media late Saturday. “I look forward to finding ways we can work together for all New Brunswickers.” Meanwhile, the Progressive Conservatives will turn their attention to the legislature with the fall session set to begin Tuesday. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 17, 2026. -- By Eli Ridder
