N.B. Liberals move for no-confidence vote next week

In her response to the throne speech, New Brunswick Liberal leader Susan Holt moved an amendment, saying the house does not have confidence in the Blaine Higgs government.

She says it’s now time for an election.

“Every day, it gets worse,” she told reporters, surrounded by Liberal MLAs and prospective candidates. “We need a new premier, we need a new government.”

She told reporters her team will be reaching out to several Progressive Conservative MLAs in the coming days, hoping to sway them ahead of the vote, which will be held next Friday.

Green Party leader David Coon said he cannot support the throne speech, but was unsure about supporting the amendment.

“I don’t believe New Brunswickers want an election at this point,” he said. “They’ve been through the ringer with a COVID election in 2020, a federal election in 2021, and municipal elections in 2022. We’re assuming there would be a break in elections until 2024.”

Premier Blaine Higgs said he was “very confident” in his throne speech, but “if there’s an election that comes out of it, so be it.”

Higgs told reporters any cost-of-living relief for New Brunswickers may not be unveiled right away, in case of an election.

Finance Minister Ernie Steeves alluded to that help while revealing a $1 billion surplus on Sept. 27.

“I like tax cuts, I like to have that money in my pocket rather than in the government’s pockets personally, and I’m sure everybody else does too,” he said at the time.

Higgs pointed to Ottawa’s energy policies as the reason for high inflation – and he may use any relief or cuts in an election platform.

“It’s federal policy that put us in this mess, and we’re trying to put Band-Aids on as a solution,” he said.

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