UPDATED: Legislature Adjourned Amid COVID-19 Outbreaks

The New Brunswick legislature has been adjourned for two weeks amid rising cases of COVID-19 in parts of the province.

Members voted 11-4 in favour of adjourning the legislature on Tuesday afternoon. MLAs are expected to return on Dec. 8.

Kent North Green MLA Kevin Arseneau put forward a motion calling for an emergency debate on virtual sittings of the legislature.

But acting speaker Jeff Carr denied the motion, saying it would not be fair to schedule a debate on this when most MLAs were unable to attend the legislature.

Arseneau and Green Party leader David Coon voted against the motion to adjourn the legislature, along with People’s Alliance MLAs Kris Austin and Michelle Conroy.

MLAs from the Moncton and Saint John health regions (Zones 1 and 2) were not in attendance for Tuesday’s sitting, with the exception of Premier Blaine Higgs and Health Minister Dorothy Shephard.

Shephard, who spoke to MLAs about the ongoing pandemic, said she has been in Fredericton since last week.

Liberal MLA Guy Arseneault, official opposition house leader, said discussions on hybrid or virtual sittings have been ongoing since last week.

“Last Friday, the sitting was suspended for an hour and MLAs of all parties discussed the issue. It was decided that the Speaker would call a Legislative Administration Committee meeting to address the implementation of hybrid sittings,” said Arseneault in a news release.

“We ask that this meeting be held before the end of this week and that technical and financial aspects, as well as timely implementation, be addressed.”

Arseneault said there are 23 MLAs living in the current orange zones and most are already back in their ridings, adding the chief medical health officer has recommended they not travel to Fredericton.

He agreed with Carr that it would not be appropriate to hold an emergency debate when many MLAs may not be able to participate.

“Should the Legislative Administration Committee vote against the implementation of a hybrid system, then and only then would an emergency debate be justified,” said Arseneault.

“We hope such an outcome can be avoided and urge all parties to cooperate so that a hybrid sitting system can be implemented quickly and that the Legislative Assembly can continue functioning through the second wave of this pandemic and beyond.”

Carr was named acting speaker by MLAs as the speaker and deputy speakers were unable to be in attendance. PC MLA Jill Green served as acting government house leader for Glen Savoie, whose riding in the Saint John region.

The legislature was also adjourned for nearly two weeks in late May and early June during a COVID-19 outbreak in the Campbellton health region.