Opposition criticizes New Brunswick budget as ‘smoke and mirrors’

The official Opposition on Thursday attacked the new provincial budget that was unveiled earlier this week by Premier Brian Gallant’s Liberal Party.

“Once again the election has gone to the highest bidder and we, the taxpayers of this province, are left to pay,” Quispamsis MLA Blaine Higgs said. “When will we learn?”

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The Tories voiced their disapproval of the two-percentage point bump to HST and challenged whether it was necessary.

“Is it any coincidence the increase in HST equals the annual increase in new spending or was it the strategic plan from the very beginning?” Higgs said.

The Liberals charged back, suggesting if a tax hike wasn’t in the Conservatives’ plan, it would have meant making major cuts that New Brunswickers did not want.

“New Brunswickers wanted us to protect health care and education, so what’s the other option?” Campbellton-Dalhousie MLA Donald Arsenault said.

The government estimates $589 million will be found through cost-saving and revenue-generating measures between this year and the end of its term, with the budget being balanced by 2020-2021.

The Liberals say it’s a realistic figure, but the Opposition says it’s not good enough.

“I would be now projecting a balanced budget or be within $50 million of doing so, and we were so sure of it we legislated that,” Higgs said.