{{Short description|Canadian politician}} {{BLP sources|date=September 2010}} {{Use Canadian English|date=January 2023}} {{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}} {{Infobox officeholder | name = Bruce Fitch | image = Bruce Fitch 2020 (cropped).jpg | alt = | caption = Fitch in 2020 | office = Minister of Health | term_start = July 15, 2022 | term_end = November 2, 2024 | predecessor = Dorothy Shephard | successor = John Dornan | office1 = Minister of Social Development | term_start1 = September 29, 2020 | term_end1 = July 15, 2022 | predecessor1 = Dorothy Shephard | successor1 = Dorothy Shephard | office2 = Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture | term_start2 = February 24, 2020 | term_end2 = September 29, 2020 | predecessor2 = Robert Gauvin | successor2 = Tammy Scott-Wallace | office3 = Leader of the Opposition (New Brunswick) | term_start3 = October 18, 2014 | term_end3 = October 22, 2016 | predecessor3 = Brian Gallant | successor3 = Blaine Higgs | office4 = Interim Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick | term_start4 = October 18, 2014 | term_end4 = October 22, 2016 | predecessor4 = David Alward | successor4 = Blaine Higgs | office5 = Minister of Local Government | term_start5 = October 12, 2010 | term_end5 = October 12, 2014 | predecessor5 = Chris Collins | successor5 = Brian Kenny | office6 = Minister responsible for Service New Brunswick | term_start6 = October 12, 2010 | term_end6 = September 22, 2014 | predecessor6 = Victor Boudreau | successor6 = Ed Doherty | predecessor7 = Position established | successor7 = T. J. Burke | office7 = Minister of Justice and Consumer Affairs | term_start7 = February 14, 2006 | term_end7 = September 18, 2006 | office8 = Minister of Energy | term_start8 = June 27, 2003 | term_end8 = February 14, 2006 | predecessor8 = Jeannot Volpé | successor8 = Brenda Fowlie | office9 = Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick for Riverview | predecessor9 = Pat Crossman | successor9 = Rob Weir | term_end9 = September 19, 2024 | term_start9 = June 9, 2003 | office10 = Mayor of Riverview | predecessor10 = David Richardson | successor10 = Clarence Sweetland | term_start10 = May 11, 1998 | term_end10 = 2003 | birth_name = Ralph Bruce Fitch | birth_date = {{Birth based on age as of date|65|2024|4|5}} | birth_place = Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada | party = Progressive Conservative | occupation = Politician }}
'''Ralph Bruce Fitch''' (born {{circa|1958}}) is a former Canadian politician. He represented Riverview in the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 2003 until 2024.
==Early life== Born in Moncton, New Brunswick, he is the son of Dr. Ralph Fitch. In 1980, he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from Mount Allison University. His career in the private sector was in the insurance and financial industries. He worked with Scotiabank and its brokerage firm ScotiaMcLeod for many years prior to his election to the legislature.
==Political career== He was first involved in politics when he was elected in 1989 to the municipal council of the Town of Riverview. He was re-elected to that position in 1992 and 1995 before successfully running for mayor in 1998. He was re-elected mayor in 2001 and served in that capacity until his election to the legislature in the 2003 provincial election. Fitch was the only non-incumbent Progressive Conservative to win a seat in that election and was immediately named to cabinet as Minister of Energy. He was shuffled to the new Justice and Consumer Affairs portfolio on February 14, 2006 despite having no legal training; this was made possible by disassociating the functions of the Office of the Attorney General from the Justice Department.
He is a member of the First Baptist Church. His hobbies include sailboarding and golf. An ardent fan and supporter of minor sports, he is frequently seen on the sidelines of his children’s games. He also coached minor soccer and football in the past.
He has been involved in the community for many years. He has been a member of many boards and committees, including Codiac Regional Police Board, Lakeview Manor Senior Citizens Home, and the Atlantic Baptist University.
On October 18, 2014 after the Progressive Conservative Party under David Alward failed to form government, Fitch was made interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick.<ref>[https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2014/10/18/new_brunswick_progressive_conservatives_choose_bruce_fitch_as_interim_leader.html New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives choose Bruce Fitch as interim leader]</ref>
Fitch was re-elected in the 2018 and 2020 provincial elections. On April 5, 2024, he announced that he would not be seeking re-election during the 2024 provincial election.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Poitras |first1=Jacques |title=Health Minister Bruce Fitch is latest PC minister to leave politics |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/bruce-fitch-pc-minister-leaves-politics-nb-1.7164752 |access-date=5 April 2024 |work=CBC News |date=5 April 2024}}</ref>
==Electoral record== ===Riverview=== {{CANelec/top|NB|2020|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NB|PC|Bruce Fitch|4,695|60.08|+11.06}} {{CANelec|NB|Liberal|Heath Johnson|1,281|16.39|-10.80}} {{CANelec|NB|Green|Rachel Pletz|800|10.24|+3.06}} {{CANelec|NB|PANB|Troy Berteit|778|9.96|-3.36}} {{CANelec|NB|NDP|John Nuttall|261|3.34|+0.04}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|7,815| }} {{CANelec/total|Total rejected ballots|13|0.17|-0.02}} {{CANelec/total|Turnout|7,828|65.99|+1.98}} {{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|11,863}} {{CANelec/hold|NB|PC|+10.93}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections New Brunswick<ref name="Provincial Election Results">{{cite web|title=Provincial Election Results |url=https://www.electionsnb.ca/content/enb/en/resources/publications/election-results.html |website= www.electionsnb.ca |publisher=Elections New Brunswick}}</ref>|}} {{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NB|2018|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NB|PC|Bruce Fitch|3,701|49.02|-3.71}} {{CANelec|NB|Liberal|Brent Mazerolle|2,053|27.19|-2.29}} {{CANelec|NB|PANB|Heather Collins|1,005|13.31|--}} {{CANelec|NB|Green|Stephanie Coburn|542|7.18|-0.44}} {{CANelec|NB|NDP|Madison Duffy|249|3.30|-6.86}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|7,550|100.0 }} {{CANelec/total|Total rejected ballots|14|0.19}} {{CANelec/total|Turnout|7,564|64.00}} {{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|11,818}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections New Brunswick<ref name="Provincial Election Results"/>}} {{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NB|2014|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NB|PC|Bruce Fitch|3,751|52.73|-10.15}} {{CANelec|NB|Liberal|Tammy Rampersaud|2,097|29.48|+6.01}} {{CANelec|NB|NDP|Danie Pitre|723|10.16|+3.55}} {{CANelec|NB|Green|Linda Hardwick|542|7.62|+0.58}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|7,113|100.0 }} {{CANelec/total|Total rejected ballots|28|0.39}} {{CANelec/total|Turnout|7,141|61.84}} {{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|11,547}} {{CANelec/nothold|NB|PC|-8.08}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections New Brunswick<ref name="Provincial Election Results"/>}} {{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NB|2010|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NB|PC|Bruce Fitch|4,358|62.88|-0.46}} {{CANelec|NB|Liberal|Lana Hansen|1,627|23.47|-10.23}} {{CANelec|NB|Green|Steven Steeves|488|7.04|–}} {{CANelec|NB|NDP|Darryl Pitre|458|6.61|+3.65}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|6,931|100.0 }} {{CANelec/total|Total rejected ballots|41|0.59}} {{CANelec/total|Turnout|6,972|65.15}} {{CANelec/total|Eligible voters|10,702}} {{CANelec/hold|NB|PC|+4.88}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections New Brunswick<ref name="Provincial Election Results"/>}} {{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NB|2006|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NB|PC|Bruce Fitch|4,326|63.34|+12.56}} {{CANelec|NB|Liberal|Ward White|2,302|33.70|-10.29}} {{CANelec|NB|NDP|Richard Grant|202|2.96|-2.27}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|6,830|100.0 }} {{CANelec/hold|NB|PC|+11.42}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections New Brunswick<ref name="Provincial Election Results"/>}} {{end}}
{{CANelec/top|NB|2003|percent=yes|change=yes}} {{CANelec|NB|PC|Bruce Fitch|3,794|50.78|-6.90}} {{CANelec|NB|Liberal|Ward White|3,287|43.99|+16.04}} {{CANelec|NB|NDP|John Falconer|391|5.23|-6.31}} {{CANelec/total|Total valid votes|7,472|100.0 }} {{CANelec/hold|NB|PC|-11.47}} {{CANelec/source|Source: Elections New Brunswick<ref name="Provincial Election Results"/>}} {{end}}
== References == {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20090603085920/http://www1.gnb.ca/legis/bios1/bio-e.asp?idNo=129&version=e MLA Bios, Government of New Brunswick]
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Fitch, R. Bruce}} Category:Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick MLAs Category:Year of birth missing (living people) Category:Living people Category:Politicians from Moncton Category:21st-century members of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Category:Leaders of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick Category:Members of the Executive Council of New Brunswick