Day 2 of the N.B. election campaign focuses on health care

The New Brunswick Liberals made a brief stop on the campaign trail to make a hefty financial commitment to improving hospital budgets across the province.

“A re-elected Liberal government will commit to invest $100 million per year for four years in our hospital infrastructure and equipment our health-care professionals need to deliver the best health care possible,” Liberal Leader Brian Gallant announced Friday.

But it remains unclear where that new money is coming from. When asked, Gallant would only tout his government’s health-care investments.

“It is a growth of that $336 million. We’re committing $400 million over the next mandate,” said Gallant.

In Moncton, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs questioned how Gallant expects to pay for all of these election promises.

READ MORE: All our New Brunswick election 2018 coverage

“It appears that Brian Gallant will promise anything to anybody to try to keep his job, and I’m not going to do that,” Higgs said.

“We need a better New Brunswick and we’re running candidates for that, so you won’t be hearing me do that.”

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "We need a better New Brunswick and we're running candidates for that, so you won't be hearing me do that."

Gallant clapped back, telling supporters that an elected PC government will result in cuts to services.

“That is a very stark difference between our for the province to create between our vision for the province top create more opportunities and a fairer economy compared to one of Blaine Higgs and the Conservatives,” explained Gallant.

The Tory leader was canvassing at a seniors’ home, making election promises of his own which included higher wages for home-care workers and offering consultation with seniors.

“It’s not new money. It’s money that’s there. Not new taxes. It’s re-purposing money to get results for better home care,” said Higgs.

Tweet This Click to share quote on Twitter: "It's not new money. It's money that's there. Not new taxes. It's re-purposing money to get results for better home care," said Higgs.

Health care is expected to remain front and centre during the provincial election. Earlier this year, the New Brunswick Medical Society conducted a survey of New Brunswickers that found 82 per cent of those polled felt access to doctors, specialists and emergency room wait times were among the top concerns of those individuals.