Leaders Square Off In Final Debate

One final debate before the election saw four of the province’s political leaders talk about leadership, the pandemic and the economy.

The 90-minute roundtable Thursday night on CTV Atlantic featured the leaders of the Progressive Conservatives, the Liberals, the Greens and the People’s Alliance.

Liberal leader Kevin Vickers was asked what was different in his vision than the one two years ago which produced a minority Liberal government under Brian Gallant.

Vickers said leadership is crucial and it is important to have a vision and a bold idea.

He said the Liberals would transform the economy and focus on three sectors: technology, a green economy, and small modular nuclear reactors.

Vickers took aim at PC leader Blaine Higgs for calling a “reckless” election during the pandemic. He also went on to accuse the Tory leader of having “more secrets than North Korea.”

Higgs was asked by CTV Atlantic senior anchor Steve Murphy how voters can trust him to do the things they want him to do and not things he is secretly intending to do.

The PC leader maintained he is running on the same plan he put forward two years ago — similar to comments he made when unveiling his party’s platform earlier in the day.

Green Party leader David Coon said he is willing to sit down with whichever leader wins Monday’s election.

“I’ll identify the common ground and then agree to work on that,” he said.

Kris Austin of the People’s Alliance said he, too, is willing to work with other parties who will use “reasonable and rational approaches” to issues and challenges faced in the province.

He also touted the benefits of having a minority government, saying it prevents one party from being able to call “all the shots.”

But Vickers said he has no plans to form a minority government with the PANB because of the party’s views on French-language rights.

Meanwhile, Higgs defended his decision to call a snap election in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The PC leader maintained that, while the four leaders worked well during the pandemic, he wanted to ensure stability before a possible second wave of the virus.

But Vickers with the Liberals said it was an “opportunistic power grab” for Higgs and accused him of having a secret agenda.

Things in the province will be “much worse,” he said, if New Brunswickers re-elect Higgs as leader.

People’s Alliance leader Kris Austin said the P-C leader had lots of options to avoid calling an election. He said despite Vickers walking out of the stability negotiations, he and Coon were still at the table.

“The whole thing is a joke. We shouldn’t be in the middle of an election right now,” said Austin.

Coon said the election call rests solely with Higgs and accused him of having a “my way or the highway” approach when making decisions. He, too, accused the Tory leader of having a secret plan that he will not share with New Brunswickers.

Murphy asked Higgs if all cuts in health care services will be off the table if he forms a majority government.

Higgs maintained his promise to keep around-the-clock emergency room service but added reforms are needed to the health-care system.