N.B. Liberals release policy document as work on election platform heats up

The New Brunswick Liberals have released a policy document based on a series of roundtables with stakeholders in key sectors as it begins preparing its platform for the next provincial election.

The party held a series of roundtable discussions last year and released a report with recommendations in health care, education, energy, economic development, housing and the environment.

Leader Susan Holt said the document will help inform discussions in the lead-up to the party’s policy convention next month.

“We are looking for good ideas to go into the next platform from everywhere and particularly from people on the frontlines that have the experience in the sectors that are in crisis, whether that’s health care, or housing, or homelessness or education,” she said.

Holt said the party heard similar concerns across various sectors, including a lack of resources, a feeling that they weren’t being listened to by decision-makers and a lack of long-term vision.

“In education, in health care, we’re not getting the data, considering it, and then building long-term plans and projections for the future, which is why we’re then stuck in these crises without the ability to react,” she said.

Jamie Gilles, a professor of communications and public policy at St. Thomas University says the document appears to be an attempt to portray Holt as premier-in-waiting, as current premier Blaine Higgs appears to remain focused on school gender identity policy.

“Perhaps their best strategy for 2024 is to come across as the sane, middle of the road party in the room with policy solutions for economic and social challenges in the province,” he said. “It might be an effective contrast with Higgs, who seems to be going further to the right and almost becoming more of a conservative gadfly in some corners by focusing on an issue that’s fairly narrow.”

Higgs spent part of this week on a fundraising tour with stops in British Columbia, Alberta and Ontario. New Brunswick election law allows parties accept donations from out of province, and all major parties receive a chunk of their cash that way each year. Higgs’ fundraising messaging has looked to portray him as a champion of “parental rights” and called on people from across the country to support his Conservative vision.

Gilles says that in order to counter Higgs’ newfound focus on social issues like gender identity policies, the Liberals may need to sharpen their swords.

“This election is going to be emotional for a lot of voters, it’s not about rational policy choices, it’s about a sharp contrast between Higgs’ brand and everyone else,” he said. “I think the Liberals probably need to be more assertive and more aggressive with their strategy in how to counter Higgs.”

However, Holt says that she hopes the next election will be fought over who has the best ideas to tackle the issues the province cares most about.

“I hope that we have an election that’s based on ideas and based on responding to New Brunswickers’ priorities, with real meaningful researched ways to make their life better,” she said.

The next provincial election will on or before October 21 of this year.