Newly elected New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs says he wants to change the way politics is done in the province.
The former finance minister says he wants a long-term vision between all parties. Higgs says he believes putting the province first, and politics second. He says every party should be building on each others’ success- no matter which party is in power.
“Certainly one achieves success by having a long-term view that you work towards, and you build on each others’ successes and you maybe tweak the program as you saw things change, but you didn’t lose sight of the end goals,” Higgs said.
He says he’ll be looking for real answers from the Gallant Government when the legislative assembly starts again in November.
Saint Thomas University Political Science Associate Professor Tom Bateman says changing the system is easier said than done, and says if the Conservatives want to win the next election, Higgs needs to become fluent in French.
Higgs is currently a uni-lingual Anglophone and that’s sparked concern on how he’ll do the job, and how quickly he can learn the language.
“I feel I can do the job for every citizen in this province and the language is not an issue for me to represent or to do the right thing for every citizen in every corner of the province,” Higgs said.
He also says he recognizes the importance of becoming bilingual. He says his goal is to learn French before the next election.
He says it will be an “immersion program”.
“It’s like disappearing for four to six weeks or so and just ‘being’. If I don’t speak the language I don’t eat, that sort of program,” Higgs said.
Bateman also says the party would need to nominate good candidates in the eastern part of the province to be a contender among Francophone voters. Bateman also says that Higgs and his leadership competitor Monica Barley should join forces.
“I would say that Monica Barley, who is the candidate for the leadership who really did embody the Francophone part of the province and the party, it would be important for her to take a step of reconciliation,” Bateman said.
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