Margaret-Ann Blaney
Margaret-Ann Blaney (née O'Rourke; born in Corner Brook, Newfoundland) is a Canadian journalist and politician. She was a member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 1999 until May 2012, representing Rothesay (formerly Saint John-Kings) as member of the Progressive Conservative Party. Early life An honours graduate with a Bachelor's degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland in St. John's, Newfoundland, Blaney worked as a reporter for both television and radio from 1982 to 1993, when she met Wayne Gretzky and became a candidate against Brian Tobin in the 1993 Canadian federal election, finishing a distant second. Shortly thereafter she married and moved to Rothesay, New Brunswick where she managed her husband's veterinary practice. In 1994, Ms. Blaney and her husband started their own small business, the Atlantic Veterinary Hospital in Rothesay, N.B. She was active in the business as co-owner / general manager until June 1999. In 1997, she was a candidate for leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, losing to Bernard Lord. Political career She was elected to the New Brunswick legislature in the 1999 election and was named to cabinet as Minister of Transportation. While minister, her riding executive solicited donations from highway contractors,