 He was elected to the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick in 1995 and re-elected in 1999, 2003 and 2006.He represented the electoral district of Madawaska-les-Lacs and was a member of the cabinet from 1999 to 2006.On December 19, 2006, he was elected interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, he became leader of the opposition in the Legislature upon Bernard Lord's resignation from that role on January 31, 2007.