Former priest takes reins of N.B.'s NDP

New Brunswick's NDP has elected a former Catholic priest to lead the party into the next provincial election.

Delegates at the party's convention in Moncton over the weekend put their support behind Roger Duguay, 44, a substitute teacher and former Catholic priest from Maltempec.

Duguay has run unsuccessfully in three provincial elections, including in 2006 when the party garnered just five per cent of the popular vote and didn't win a seat in the legislature.

Allison Brewer stepped down as party leader after the devastating results, stating she could no longer continue with the unpaid position.

There were 1,078 members eligible to vote Saturday, and 742 votes were cast.

Duguay beat Dennis Atchison, 51, a communications specialist, to take the party's helm. Duguay had the backing of the province's only federal NDP member of Parliament, Yvon Godin.

Duguay said the NDP needs to work harder to get its message out to the electorate but it also needs to listen closely to what voters want.

"Just as our neighbours in Nova Scotia have succeeded in doing, we must build our party so that one day we will hold the balance of power," Duguay said."We also need to take the time to consolidate our gains and increase our visibility so that one day we can form the Official Opposition."

His years of training as a priest have helped him become a good listener, he said. He plans to work immediately to boost the profile of the party and restore inactive riding associations.

"I think the members all across the province understand that to make a breakthrough and success with the party, we have to work not only in areas where the NDP is stronger, but in cities, in rural areas, in the north and in the south," he said.

He also plans on working with the party to raise $500,000 prior to the next election.

Duguay has issued a communique calling on the provincial government to reject the recommendations of a recent report on higher education that may result in universities merging with community colleges to form polytechnical schools.

The government should leave the post-secondary structure as it is and put more money into it, said Duguay.