▁McK en na ▁who ▁had ▁res igned ▁later ▁in ▁ 1 9 9 7 . ▁By r ne ▁finished ▁second ▁to ▁Camil le ▁Th éri ault ▁at ▁the ▁convention . ▁Th éri ault ▁named ▁By r ne ▁to ▁his ▁cabinet ▁in ▁the ▁more ▁senior ▁roles ▁of ▁Att orney ▁General ▁of ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁and ▁Government ▁House ▁Le ader . ▁ ▁Like ▁many ▁of ▁his ▁Liberal ▁colle agues , ▁By r ne ▁fell ▁victim ▁to ▁the ▁massive ▁Progress ive ▁Conserv ative ▁swe ep ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁election , ▁losing ▁his ▁seat ▁by ▁only ▁ 2 6 4 ▁votes . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 2 , ▁he ▁co - cha ired ▁the ▁successful ▁leadership ▁bid ▁of ▁Sh awn ▁Graham ▁to ▁succeed ▁Th éri ault . ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 3 , ▁he ▁was ▁elected ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Liber als ▁and ▁he ▁was ▁re - elect ed ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 5 . ▁By r ne ▁ran ▁and ▁won ▁the ▁r iding ▁of ▁Freder ic ton - Lin coln ▁running ▁as ▁a ▁Liberal ▁candidate ▁in ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 6 ▁election . ▁Following ▁the ▁election , ▁he ▁was ▁returned ▁to ▁the ▁cabinet ▁as ▁Minister ▁of ▁Business ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁and ▁stepped ▁down ▁as ▁president ▁of ▁the ▁party . ▁ ▁S ources ▁ ▁Cache ▁of ▁By r ne ' s ▁bio ▁from ▁the ▁New ▁Brun sw ick ▁Legisl ature ▁ ▁Results ▁of ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 9 ▁election ▁in ▁Freder ic