Article content

FREDERICTON — It’s a line Jenica Atwin has heard before. The federal Green Party candidate is standing on a doorstep on a Saturday in Fredericton as a local teacher tells her she wants to vote for her, but doesn’t think she can.

She’s worried about the possibility of a Conservative government, she confesses. Strategically, she feels she has to vote for the Liberal incumbent.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or In Fredericton, the rubber meets the road for a Green movement hoping to make gains Back to video

Atwin has an answer ready. The Greens could hold the balance of power in a minority government, she says. She has a real shot here in Fredericton.

The teacher listens, unconvinced. She’s worried about who will form government, not just who gets elected in Fredericton, so every seat the Liberals lose is a concern. She and Atwin chat for a while longer, but it looks like a lost cause.

It’s not like this at every door, however. Many voters like what they’ve seen from their MLA in the provincial legislature, the leader of New Brunswick’s Green Party. Still, it’s more often than not a cautious optimism that greets Atwin, even from her supporters. One older man tells her she’s got his vote, then offers a warning.