Higgs defends hiring of Conservative consultants at taxpayer expense
Premier admits their views are ‘in line with our party’ but says it ensures ‘a diversity of opinion’
Premier Blaine Higgs has defended his government's hiring of two well-known Conservative campaign consultants at taxpayer expense as he prepares for an election campaign this fall.
Higgs told opposition MLAs on a legislative committee that the two consultants, Derek Robinson and Steve Outhouse, would not be doing any partisan work at taxpayer expense.
Robinson is the founder of Mash Strategy, a Calgary-based consulting firm that has done work for various conservative parties and leaders.
Outhouse is the campaign manager for Higgs's Progressive Conservative re-election bid this year, but is also working in the premier's office as principal secretary, a taxpayer-funded position.
"There are no taxpayer dollars used for the political role in any of this," Higgs said, arguing that Outhouse would be doing campaign work on his own time.
"The separation between the night duties and the day duties would be very clear," he told the committee during its study of the budget estimates for his office and the executive council office that he heads.
Steve
Outhouse with Blaine Higgs at a Canada Strong and Free Network
conference in Ottawa. Earlier this spring, he confirmed Outhouse would
join his staff in the premier's office on a $125,000 contract that runs
until the election. (Kate McKenna/CBC)
Higgs offered a similar guarantee that Mash Strategy's work for the government would not cross over into the election campaign.
Green Leader David Coon questioned the hiring of Mash, which says on its website that its mantra is "think politically, act creatively" and claims it has gained experience "in political war rooms."
"It's not just 'thinking politically,' it's thinking politically in a certain ideological direction that's clear, that's being brought to bear on their work," Coon said.
The $72,000 paid to Mash is "a very small portion" of what the government spends on more than 80 firms providing communications services, Higgs said.
'A look from outside,' premier says
Liberal MLA René Legacy said the hiring of the Calgary-based consulting firm contradicted the government's frequent rhetoric about a "New Brunswick-first" approach to contracting.
Higgs responded that he wanted to incorporate "a look from outside" into efforts to promote New Brunswick's successes across Canada.
"I want to be sure our perspective is not limited to one region, one province," he said.
The premier speaks in the legislature Thursday, with Steve Outhouse sitting on the right. (Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick)
The premier said the government must communicate on issues that "seem to be rather straightforward issues to some and very controversial issues to others."
He didn't dispute that Robinson and Mash have a conservative viewpoint "more in line with our party" but said that ensures "a diversity of opinion" among consultants advising the government.
"We deal with companies that have views in all directions," he said.
But he acknowledged that the advice would shape "a message coming from the premier's office and everybody knows I'm a Conservative."
Higgs announced last fall that Outhouse, who ran Alberta Premier Danielle Smith's re-election campaign last year, would be the campaign manager for the New Brunswick PC party this year.
Earlier this spring he confirmed Outhouse would join his staff in the premier's office on a $125,000 contract that runs until the election.
Calculated relative to an annual salary, Coon said that compensation exceeds the normal range of $150,000 to $175,000 for a principal secretary.
Higgs justified the money by reading extensively from Outhouse's resumé, listing several positions he held with the federal government, including as a staffer to cabinet ministers in the Harper government.
"All of that is to say that Mr. Outhouse comes with an extensive degree of credentials and relevant experience to what we experience as a government."
Green
Leader David Coon says Outhouse's public salary works out to more than
the normal range of $150,000 to $175,000 for a principal secretary. (The Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick)
The questioning about Outhouse was short-lived because of how the opposition Liberals used the time allocated to them during the estimates process.
Opposition parties get a total of 80 hours to examine estimates from all government departments and offices, and they decide for themselves how to divide up that time.
Higgs's office told them the premier would be available all day Wednesday, giving them about eight hours with him.
But the Liberals and Greens chose to use most of Wednesday's time on other departments and on Higgs's other responsibilities, leaving the Liberals with no remaining time to devote to the premier's office and Coon with only 20 minutes.
"The Premier made himself available for eight hours of questioning [Wednesday]," Higgs's director of communications Nicolle Carlin said via text message.
"This was well-known by the Opposition that this was the period of time the Premier was available, and would give them time to ask all their questions."
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
We are badly served in this province by our elected representatives.
Notice how Higgs identifies himself as a conservative. The problem is that he leads the Progressive Conservative Party of NB.
And the credentials of his imported advisors are for
working for those in this country who can only be described as being on
the far right.
Amen
Are the Federal Liberals hiring purely partisan based campaigning personel at taxpayers expense???
No??
then what is your misguided point?
Thank you for proving my point.
Eric Cartman
Why the big fuss now?
A daycare is one of the top priorities for the Restigouche Regional Service Commission, said president and chair Brad Mann. (Submitted by Brad Mann)
Campbellton
Mayor Jean-Guy Levesque said the municipality and regional service
commission could help Vitalité find a partner for the daycare. (Serge Bouchard/Radio-Canada)
Dr.
France Desrosiers, president and CEO of Vitalité Health Network, said
Restigouche is the right place for a daycare pilot because that's where
the biggest recruitment challenge is. (Gilles Boudreau/Radio-Canada)
Just
finding a daycare spot can be difficult, but it's even more challenging
for nurses when many daycares only operate between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m.,
and they often work 7 a.m. until 7 p.m., said Paula Doucet, president of
the New Brunswick Nurses Union. (Daniel St Louis/New Brunswick Nurses Union)
Dr. Paula Keating, president of the New Brunswick Medical Society, said childcare is a 'major concern' for many physicians. (Submited by N.B. Medical Society)
Health Minister Bruce Fitch said his department is working with Vitalité to 'figure out a way forward.' (Roger Cosman//CBC)
The
cabins were placed at the Dumont hospital's cafeteria earlier this year
and have been available for staff use since January. (Rhythm Rathi/CBC)
The
cabin offers a vibrating heated massage along with a meditation
playlist or relaxing music, which can be controlled and adjusted
according to the user's preference. (Rhythm Rathi/CBC)
Brittany
Stein, Horizon Health's regional director of employee health, wellness
and safety, says the cabins are a one-year pilot project. (Rhythm Rathi/CBC)
Vitalité's
third contract with Canadian Health Labs, which continues until
February 2026, with a cap of $93 million, effectively charges the
regional health authority $306.70 an hour per travel nurse, according to
the Globe and Mail. (Pixel-Shot/Shutterstock)
Doucet
said ending the use of travel nurses should be a priority to ensure New
Brunswick has 'safe, quality health care delivered by nurses who are
well oriented [and] well supported.' (CBC)
Greg Doiron, vice-president of clinical services for Horizon, said the
use of travel nurses has been 'a necessary measure.' (Government of New
Brunswick/Zoom)
"The premier said the government must communicate on issues that "seem to be rather straightforward issues to some and very controversial issues to others."