A former longtime MP for Tobique-Mactaquac has become the fourth person to join the leadership race for the provincial Progressive Conservative party.
Mike Allen says the biggest challenges facing the province right now are jobs and employment. He says the focus right now should be how we can target growing new businesses and reducing barriers for existing barriers.
When it comes to natural gas development Allen says right now we have a tremendous opportunity to put some principles in place for development and making sure we have a good regulatory framework.
“Because prices are low, commodity prices are low, so it’s not likely at this point in time that companies are going to be coming forward to do a whole lot of exploration and development of site and given the moratorium obviously they can’t do that either,” says Allen.
The PC leadership convention, which is where the next leader will be chosen, is going to be held on October 21 and 22 in Fredericton. Fredericton West-Hanwell MLA Brian MacDonaldd, Quispamsis MLA Blaine Higgs and Moncton lawyer Monica Barley are the other three candidates vying for the leadership spot.
Allen was elected the MP for Tobique-Mactaquac in 2006, 2008 and 2011 and did not re-offer in the federal election last fall.
