New Brunswick MLA with newborn defending ask for hybrid legislature sittings

Green MLA Megan Mitton has found herself defending a request to move to hybrid-virtual sittings next week in the New Brunswick legislature.

Mitton brings her less than a 6-month-old infant with her to the legislative assembly every day.

The recent rise in COVID-19 cases, in Zone 3 particularly, is also part of her reasoning to ask for hybrid-virtual sittings.

“I do have an infant that cannot be vaccinated, that cannot wear a mask, but I do need to bring him here,” she said.

Mitton is — like many new mothers — breastfeeding.

The need to defend her situation to mostly male colleagues is frustrating, she said.

Glen Savoie, the government house leader, brought up Mitton’s situation directly in the legislature.

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People’s Alliance leader Kris Austin also drew a connection to Mitton.

He said he was “trying to be sensitive to the member who had a baby.”

Austin has been quite vocal about not wanting hybrid-virtual sittings because he sees them as a way for MLAs to avoid travelling to Fredericton to conduct the business of the legislature in person with their colleagues.

“What I really want to see is really strict rules on how this works,” he said.

He spoke of PC MLA Glen Savoie, who underwent cancer treatment, but continued coming to the legislature to work.

“I look at him, he comes here every day. How do we justify others staying home for other reasons,” Austin said on Friday.

But for Mitton, it’s complex.

“To be the only MLA asked about my personal situation can be kind of uncomfortable,” she said. “He’s not even six months yet, so I’m his only food source.”

To still have to push for accommodations in 2021 to do her job as an MLA, while being a mother is frustrating, she said.

The legislature, Mitton said, wasn’t built for caregivers, and “it shows.”

“It’s really frustrating that,” she said, holding back tears, “I’ve heard some comments from certain MLAs, since it became public that I was pregnant, that well, maybe, I should have known what I was getting into and shouldn’t even be here — is sort of the tone. It’s really frustrating to hear that.”

“I’m trying to change things so that people like me can be here.”