Major party leaders hit campaign trail as New Brunswick election kicks off

The official start of the 32-day New Brunswick provincial election race saw the major party leaders out on the campaign trail.

At dissolution, the governing Liberals held 24 seats, a slim majority over the Progressive Conservatives’ 22.

There was also one Green, one independent and one vacant seat.

Progressive Conservative Party leader Blaine Higgs and his team descended on a manufacturing plant in rural New Brunswick to kick off the campaign.

Last year, Marwood in Tracyville, N.B., lost a major contract to provide NB Power with hydro-poles.

Higgs claims it’s just one example of New Brunswick companies losing contracts to Quebec operations, and is vowing to do all he can to reverse the trend.

WATCH: Campaigning kicks off with New Brunswick election on the horizon

2:10 Campaigning kicks off with New Brunswick election on the horizon

“How do we strengthen the local company or the future contracts? Because the idea is to get best value for taxpayers and the province and to ensure we have a New Brunswick-first policy that works for our companies,” Higgs states.

Brian Gallant kicked off the day in Moncton, where he committed to continue his government’s strategic infrastructure initiative with an additional $75 million over the next two years.

The Liberal team then headed to Saint John for a rally in Kings Square, which included their federal Liberal counterparts.

Saint John MP Wayne Long took direct aim at the provincial Conservatives.

“We have a vision for the future, they don’t, and we have a plan for New Brunswick, and they don’t,” Long said.

The premier will start the day Friday in Fredericton before heading north, with stops at communities along the St. John River.

Team Higgs, meanwhile, will be in Moncton Friday morning, with plans to be in Saint John in the afternoon.