New Brunswick was 'very close' to 2023 election: Premier Higgs

Amid the ongoing debate over Policy 713 and dissent in his party, Premier Blaine Higgs was ready to call a provincial election in New Brunswick in 2023, although he ultimately decided to keep voting booths closed until next year.

“(We were) very close (to calling an election), but I didn’t know if the throne speech would be approved,” Higgs told CTV’s Todd Battis in an interview. “I wanted to be ready.

“I wanted to try to work out the internal differences because it’s not fair to the public to have an election because we’re not able to have our team work together as a government. Members have their own views and I expect that, but you have to find a way at the end of the day to consolidate.”

The changes to Policy 713, which require students under the age of 16 to get parental consent before teachers can use their preferred pronouns or first names at school, sparked debates at the New Brunswick legislature and beyond in 2023.

Higgs said he was surprised by the reaction to the changes, noting how he thought the updated policy addressed “parental rights.”

“It became a bit of a lightning rod for some within our group,” he said. “We’ve seen tremendous attention across the country. To me it became as important an issue that I’ve dealt with in 13 years.

“It was a foundational issue. We have other issues but our society is built on families and it’s built on parents playing a role in their child’s lives. I didn’t think it would become such an issue internally but we’re on the other side of it now.”

Another major policy announcement this year was the unveiling of the province’s 12-year energy strategy, which Higgs labelled as “aggressive.”

“We needed to follow a (green energy) plan that follows the federal guidelines,” he said. “It is aggressive, (but) is it realistic? I think there’s reason to question that in the sense of I feel the federal rules are not realistic.

“I feel we can’t make enough batteries to meet the timeline on electrification of vehicles, the mining required to do that is unheard of.”

New Brunswick’s strategy plans for the use of small modular reactors, which Higgs feels could be used as part of a larger energy alliance between provinces.

“I feel we have an opportunity to punch well above our weight,” he said. “I think there’s a reason to look at NB Power in terms of strategic alliances and going forward with SMRs I’d like to see the same strategic alliance.

“I see an opportunity there to build a future with nuclear energy, working with OPG (Ontario Power Generation) to make that a reality. I think we need the can do philosophy of a federal pan-Canadian approach to nuclear energy.”

Higgs, who became premier in 2018, said he plans to lead his party into the next election, which is scheduled for October 2024.

For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.