Parti Acadien
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Le Parti Acadien was a political party in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1970s and 1980s. The party was founded in 1971 by Acadians who were upset over poorer living conditions in predominately francophones areas of the province versus those areas dominated by Anglophones. The economy of New Brunswick was centred in the "golden triangle" between the cities of Fredericton, Saint John and Moncton while the eastern and northern parts of New Brunswick, predominately Francophone, was relatively poor.
Despite efforts by Louis Robichaud, an Acadian who served as Premier between the 1960 and 1970 elections, to better their lot by instituting the Equal Opportunity program, some Acadians felt they would be better served by their own administration. As a result, the party advocated the formation of a separate Acadian province within Canada. The party was motivated by, in part, nationalist sentiments similar to those of Quebec separatists during the Quiet Revolution, which led to the formation of the Parti Quebecois.
The party nominated 13 candidates in the province's 58 ridings in the 1974 provincial election, 23 candidates in the 1978 provincial election, and 10 candidates in the 1982 provincial election, which was the party's last.
In the 1978 election, Party leader Armand Plourde captured 2003 votes in the riding of Restigouche West. He placed second to Liberal Party candidate, who won 2174 votes, and ahead of the Progressive Conservative party candidate with 1576 votes. This was the party's only second place finish, and the closest it came to winning a seat.
The Parti Acadien never won a seat in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick, and disbanded in the mid-1980s.