N.B. PC leader Higgs looks to 'breakthrough' Liberal strongholds in northern Francophone ridings

Progressive Conservative leader Blaine Higgs continued his tour across Liberal stronghold ridings in northern New Brunswick on Thursday, saying he was trying to “breakthrough that past history” in the Oct. 21 election.

Higgs won a majority government in 2020 despite being unable to capture any northern Francophone ridings. Liberal candidates in eight of the 11 northern ridings secured 60 per cent or more of the popular vote.

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During a campaign stop in Bathurst, Higgs said perceptions that his government didn’t support northern initiatives was “very concerning.”

“I just think the reality is much different than the perception,” said Higgs.

Earlier this week, the PCs released a French advertisement suggesting the Liberals were taking northern ridings for granted. The advertisement featured northern PC candidates.

Liberal leader Susan Holt said Higgs' pitch to northern voters was “too little, too late,” at a campaign stop in Fredericton on Wednesday.

The PCs also put Liberal leader Susan Holt on the defensive this week for comments made in January about the educational backgrounds of residents in her former riding of Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore compared to Fredericton South-Silverwood where she’s now offering as an candidate.

At the Bathurst stop, Higgs was asked by a reporter about the defection of former high profile Francophone cabinet ministers within his government over the past six years – Robert Gauvin and Daniel Allain. Higgs said language played no role in the disintegration of those two political relationships.

“It had nothing to do with the Francophone issue at all,” said Higgs. “I won’t go into details, but it had nothing to do with the Francophone issue. It was certainly related to particular issues they were concerned with.”

Gauvin resigned from the Higgs’ cabinet in February 2020 after a plan was announced to close rural overnight emergency departments, which was ultimately abandoned. Gauvin decided to become a Liberal MLA, and is re-offering as a candidate.

Allain was dumped from Higgs’ cabinet in June 2023 after voting against the PC government on Policy 713 changes. Allain is not re-offering as a PC candidate in this election.

Higgs’ policial history on language issues was a focus several times over his mandate, including abandoned changes to French immersion in the English school system.

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