Let the campaigning begin.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has officially announced the next provincial election.
Voters will head to the polls on Oct. 21.
Higgs visited the lieutenant governor at the government house on Thursday morning to dissolve the legislature.
If Higgs wins, he’ll be the first premier to win a third term since Frank McKenna in 1995.
But the landscape of the province is quite different than during the last election, which was called in 2020, the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The rising cost of living, a lack of affordable housing, monumental health-care wait times and a shortage of health-care workers are just some of the issues at the forefront of this election.
Conservatives talk early campaign promises
Speaking to reporters outside of government house, Higgs said his Conservative government has made a lot of improvements to the province.
Higgs reiterated his campaign promise to reduce the province’s HST to 13 per cent.
He also claimed his party made a lot of progress to fix health care, bringing more physicians to the province. He says they’ve also improved pharmacies and early childhood education.
He says people should avoid voting for the Green and Liberal parties, which could create a coalition.
“We cannot let Susan Holt and David Coon do to New Brunswick what Trudeau and Singh have done to Canada,” he said.
Liberals announce new campaign promises
Liberal Leader Susan Holt announced Thursday plans to remove New Brunswick’s provincial sales tax (PST) on residential electricity bills if elected.
In a news release, she said people need financial help.
“They need affordability relief right now, and we are giving them a clear choice: elect a Holt government and have money back in your pocket from savings on your power bill or be forced to spend money to save money with the proposed Higgs tax cut.”
According to Liberal officials, New Brunswick’s PST rate is currently set at 10 per cent, this initiative aims to deliver swift support to every household in the province.
It was also noted by the Liberals that eliminating the PST could save the average New Brunswicker around $192 per year, with the most energy-intensive households saving about $750 annually.
Greens announced campaign yesterday
The Green Party of New Brunswick held a rally in Fredericton on Wednesday to kick off their 2024 election campaign.
Leader David Coon said he spoke to a lot of people through the summer. He said their feelings are clear: they’re tired of a two-party system, choosing between Liberals and Conservatives who don’t tackle critical issues of climate, health care and housing.
“I am here to commit that as Greens, we will have your back and we will implement the solutions that are already at hand to fix the problems New Brunswick is facing,” he said.
Using the campaign title “Green is the Colour of Change,” Coon and his deputy leaders Megan Mitton and Kevin Arseneau unveiled the Greens’ slate of election candidates.
He pointed out that his party’s candidates will embody the diversity of New Brunswick, featuring a balanced representation of women and men, Indigenous individuals, Acadians, anglophones, immigrants, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
Candidates have been announced for 44 out of 49 ridings, with the remaining five set to be revealed before the October 1 deadline.
With files from Tara Clow.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]
