The tentative agreement between the two governments was initially well received by newspapers, both in New Brunswick and Quebec, before polls showed it to be opposed by the vast majority of New Brunswick residents. The province's three English-language daily newspapers, owned by the Irving's Brunswick News group, welcomed the sale. The Telegraph-Journal saluted it as the "deal of century" while Moncton's Times & Transcript argued that the sale lifted a "big burden". Media critics noted that Irving interests controlled the New Brunswick press outlets that were in favour of the deal and other conflicts of interest were evident.
