People’s Alliance demise presents advantages, challenges for N.B. Tories

A political bombshell in New Brunswick politics may have addressed one issue for Premier Blaine Higgs but created another, according to a political observer.

The sudden demise of the People’s Alliance Party (PANB) was rubber-stamped on Thursday as it was officially deregistered as a political party.

The party’s two MLAs, Kris Austin, and Michelle Conroy announced their intention to join the Progressive Conservatives in a news conference on Wednesday alongside Premier Higgs.

The Tories now have a stronger majority with 29 members, which shouldn’t be downplayed according to J.P. Lewis, a political scientist at the University of New Brunswick in Saint John.

“If they were to have some resignations they could be creeping back into minority territory. So you would expect Tory MLAs may look at Austin and Conroy as a welcome addition,” he said.

A total of 25 seats is needed to hold a majority in the New Brunswick Legislature.

“But you can solve one political problem, like the fact you have a small political majority, and possibly create and accentuate another political problem,” added Lewis. “Where does the Tories outreach to the north and the Francophone ridings of the province go when you bring in Austin and Conroy?”

The Progressive Conservatives currently have no seats in any of the province’s predominantly Francophone northern ridings.

The addition of two People’s Alliance members may present new challenges for the PCs in trying to paint those ridings blue.

As leader of the PANB, Austin campaigned to end bilingual requirements for government jobs, and remove the Official Languages Commissioner. In 2019, Austin threatened to topple the then PC minority government if recommendations from the Commissioner’s report were followed.

Austin has also questioned the need for two health authorities — Vitalité and Horizon — which are mandated to operate in the province’s two official languages but unofficially function in their respective region’s predominant language.

The PANB’s language policies quickly became a flashpoint issue for the party after it was formed in 2010. Austin has long been adamant that he isn’t against official bilingualism.

"We should not allow language to trump experience, qualifications and the ability to get things done,” said Austin during the province’s 2018 election campaign. “We've done this for too long in New Brunswick, allowing language to divide us, and allowing language to trump qualifications and skills," Austin said.

'Now that fringe opinion has gone mainstream'

Premier Higgs was questioned repeatedly in the legislature on Thursday about the addition of Austin and Conroy to the Tory fold.

“Did you really ask them if they reneged on their positions of the past,” asked interim Liberal leader Roger Melanson.

Green Party MLA Kevin Arseneau said Austin and Conroy “represented a fringe opinion in the population” under the PANB banner.

“But now that fringe opinion has gone mainstream,” said Arseneau.

Higgs said Austin and Conroy’s opinions would fit well within the PC caucus.

“They have certainly accepted the rules and regulations that govern the PC party,” said Higgs. “I have a very diverse group here. You’ve heard us all speak on different issues and different formats. But at the end of the day, we find a way through.”