https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/new-brunswick-blaine-higgs-leader-review-1.6949636
PC dissidents did not meet threshold to trigger leadership review of Blaine Higgs, party says
Party declined to answer questions, dissident says he's not giving up
Under the party's rules, 50 members, including 20 presidents of PC riding associations, must request a leadership review to start the process. On Monday, Andrea Johnson, the party's executive director, said as of Aug. 25, "the threshold had not been met to trigger the next steps for a leadership review."
Party members unhappy with Premier Blaine Higgs previously said they want to review his leadership because of his top-down decision-making and lack of consultation with the public.
This is the second time party members have tried to begin a review.
On July 31, party president Erika Hachey said there weren't enough valid letters from riding association presidents. At first, only 15 were valid, but Hachey later told one member his letter was discounted by error. This meant members were four letters short, and they had until Aug. 25 to correct the problems and submit them again.
Johnson declined to answer questions about why the threshold was not met and what would happen next, if anything. She did not say whether the issue was the number of valid letters received or another reason. She said the one-sentence emailed response "will be our only comment."
'We're not giving up'
Marc Savoie, president of the PC riding association in Moncton East, said members believed they submitted the required number of letters, so this was disappointing news.
"We're not surprised but very much disappointed," he said. "We have no clear indication of how many letters were missed, how many were rejected a second time."
He said he's also disappointed by the party's lack of transparency. He said he doesn't know whether his own letter was accepted. It was previously rejected because he was interim president, Savoie said, and this time around he had the backing of his board and believed the issue was resolved.
Marc
Savoie, president of the PC riding association in Moncton East, says
the party has not told him if his own letter was rejected or accepted. (Gilles Landry/Radio-Canada)
He said some members' letters were rejected because their memberships have expired. He said those members renewed their memberships.
Savoie said members will continue to push a leadership review, but they are now forced to wait until the fall. This is because the electoral map redesign will change some ridings and bring in nine or ten new presidents.
"We're not giving up," he said.
The push to remove Higgs began after two of his ministers resigned in light of his government's changes to Policy 713 on gender identity and sexual orientation in schools. Higgs said he wants to include parents in kids' lives. The changes effectively make it mandatory to get parental consent before school staff can use a child under 16's chosen name and pronoun. Critics have said allowing parents to have a veto over pronouns puts kids at risk.
When they stepped down, then-ministers Dorothy Shephard and Trevor Holder criticized Higgs's unilateral leadership style and said he has strayed from long-time PC party principles.
Kelly Lamrock, the province's child and youth advocate, has since found that the changes to the policy violate several provincial laws and children's Charter rights.
Higgs has said he stands by the changes.
The Canadian Civil Liberties Association said it plans to sue the province on behalf of LGBTQ kids and their parents.
Corrections
- A previous version of this story said PC members had to re-submit all 50 letters by Aug. 25. In fact they only had to submit the number of letters needed to make up for the shortfall.Aug 28, 2023 3:28 PM AT
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
"You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em"
Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: Feb 10, 2023 3:20 PM AST
"The question hung in the air along with the echo of the Clash's crunchy, iconic punk guitar riff: should he stay or should he go?
Premier Blaine Higgs avoided the big political question on everyone's minds in his state of the province speech Thursday night.
He suggested last fall he'd use the event to reveal whether he'll stick around to run in the next provincial election in 2024.
Then in December he said he'd take more time to make up his mind.
"I know many of you have a question that you may have expected me to answer tonight, but I have a question for you," the decidedly non-punk premier told the crowd of more than 800 people as he wrapped up the 40-minute speech.
Cue the music, the 1982 classic Should I Stay or Should I Go?
It was inappropriately silly to some, cringey to others — never mind incongruous, given the Clash's radical left-wing politics.
But the song allowed the premier to toss the question back at the audience before dancing, not completely rhythmically, off the stage.
Still, there were clues in the speech to what his own answer could be — phrases indicating he may be unsure anyone else would stick with his policies if he left.
In a tribute to his caucus of Progressive Conservative MLAs, Higgs didn't mention the name of the party. He defined them another way.
"I want to acknowledge here tonight the MLAs who ran with me. You ran with me as Team Higgs. I'm proud of what we have accomplished together."
Cue the music, the 1982 classic Should I Stay or Should I Go?
It was inappropriately silly to some, cringey to others — never mind incongruous, given the Clash's radical left-wing politics.
But the song allowed the premier to toss the question back at the audience before dancing, not completely rhythmically, off the stage.
I concur.
His comments come as Conservatives prepare to debate surgery ban for trans children and teens
Catherine Cullen · CBC News · Posted: Aug 28, 2023 6:25 PM ADT
"Conservative leader Pierre Poilievre says schools should stick to teaching the basics and leave conversations about LGBTQ issues to parents.
Poilievre's comments could factor into the debate at next month's party policy convention in Quebec City, where Conservative Party members are expected to wade into the debate on gender identity.
When it comes to how conversations on gender identity are handled in schools, Poilievre generally has deferred to the provinces, which are in charge of education.
While visiting Moncton, N.B. in late June, Poilievre accused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau of "butt[ing] into" decisions that "should rest with provinces and parents." New Brunswick has been embroiled in a months-long debate about a controversial new policy on gender identity in schools."
Don Corey
Such a shame that the CBC and Higgs haters did not get the news they were wanting to hear today.
Michael Cain
Reply to Don Corey
It's enough that the Cons keep embarrassing themselves.
David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
At least I am glad to be correct. If my feet were better I would do the Higgy Happy Happy Happy jig
Ben Haroldson
Reply to Don Corey
Worry not. the voters will fix that.
Ben Haroldson
Reply to Ben Haroldson
As they will with whatever it is running ottawa.
Don Corey
Reply to Ben Haroldson
Dream on; won’t happen.
Don Corey
Reply to Michael Cain
Who’s embarrassed? All I see hear is wishful thinking lol.
Chuck Michaels
Reply to Don Corey
or... "wishful whining"...?
David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
Matt Steele
Very doubtful if anyone is surprised as Premier Higgs is very popular within the PC party , and is probably the most competent Premier , and manager , that N.B. has had in at least the last hundred years. Those 16 supposedly unhappy PC riding associations were based mostly in Northern N.B. ; and were not even active associations as most did not have a PC MLA , and many involved did not even have PC party memberships . It is what it is .
Reply to Matt Steele
Spin much?
Marcel Belanger
Funny how this reminds me of the shenanigans that occurred during the leadership contest that saw Higgs become leader. Oh well, the next election will clear the air.
Michael Cain
Reply to Marcel Belanger
Yup, they didn't want him as leader at all; got in on 3rd ballot.
David Amos
Reply to Marcel Belanger
I thoroughly enjoyed watching that circus particularly when they kept booting the wannabe liberal leader out
The 'Elites' in that Party tried everything
they could to crown their own KING/QUEEN,
but the Grassroots of the Party wouldn't
let that happen.
Don Corey
Mario Doucet
now the SANB is making waves within the conservative party, always out to cause trouble
David Amos
Reply to Mario Doucet
Welcome back to the circus
Marcel Belanger
Reply to Mario Doucet
I guess they want to push out the CoR gang and the CoR premier. I hope they succeed.
Don Corey
Reply to Marcel Belanger.
That party is history. Stay current.
Don Corey
Reply to Mario Doucet
So what else is new?
Reply to Don Corey
Rosco holt
Or the party is protecting HIggs.
David Amos
Reply to Rosco holt
Bingo
Don Corey
Reply to Rosco holt
Pure speculation. You do realize they are obligated to strictly adhere
to party policy/regulations?
Obviously the threshold for a review was not met. Case closed.
This story has caused the refrain from a Kenny Rogers hit song to
repeat itself in my head.
There will be time enough for counting (in April 2024) when the dealings done!
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Robert Brannen
Higgy is no doubt humming the same tune
"You gotta know when to hold 'em, know when to fold 'em"
David Amos
Reply to Robert Brannen
I bet my MLA is not so Happy today eh?
"An emotional Wetmore was seen hugging former Tory deputy premier Robert Gauvin, who defected to the Liberals in early 2020, and ex-Tory education boss Dominic Cardy, who quit his cabinet post last fall over the government’s now-abandoned changes to French immersion."
Robert Brannen
Reply to David Amos
The premier refuses to listen to wise council from rural residents:
You would be wise to not count your chickens before they hatch.
SarahRose Werner
Reply to Robert Brannen
October 2024, actually. More time for lawsuits to be filed.
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Robert Brannen
Should I hunt turkeys instead?
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Robert Brannen
Surely you jest I ran against Higgy et al Remember?
David Amos
Reply to Robert Brannen
You are too funny
... so the voters can do the job for the CONservatives.
Reply to Marguerite Deschamps
I would suggest when we see the continuing budget miscalculations and
surplus that should be spent (or have been) on health, infrastructure,
lowering of taxes, etc and his continued shifting the discussion onto
non issues we might have second thoughts about his leadership. IMO
John Montgomery
Reply to Gary MacKay
Conservatives vote for leaders who help people they don't like the
least. They don't care what they actually accomplish, so long as
people they can't identify with don't get anything.
David Amos
Reply to Gary MacKay
No Comment
N.B. grossly underestimates budget surplus — again
Surplus for this year estimated at almost $200 million — 5 times what
was projected in March
Mia Urquhart · CBC News · Posted: Aug 28, 2023 2:00 PM ADT
Reply by Rosco holt.
2 hrs ago
Conservatives help themselves and their backers(the rich/ corporations)
David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Gary MacKay
The comment section has opened
John Smith
I believe the only way to get things better in New Brunswick is to change our voting system to proportional representation. I believe in the next election, the Liberal and Green parties should form a deal, where only one party will run a delegate against the Conservative party in each riding, so that the vote won't be split, allowing a Conservative win. This should allow a coalition government of the Liberals and Greens that there only mandate would be to change from first past the post to proportional representation. Once this law is put in place and the details of how it would work are done, a new election will be called, and the people of New Brunswick will get the representation that they vote for.
Clive Gibbons
Reply to John Smith
We could only hope.
G. Timothy Walton
Reply to John Smith
Such an arrangement might actually get the NDP some votes just out of anger at the Liberals and Greens.
I don't relish having to vote for any of the parties; they all have flaws that approach the fatal.
The only improvement in any of the parties over last time is that the Liberals aren't running with a leader whose only selling point is that he shot the Parliament Hill attacker.
Chuck Michaels
Reply to John Smith
'...a coalition government of the Liberals and Greens..."
Yep, We see how good coalitions are for Canadians just by looking at our current federal situation. A "leader" jetting around the globe dispensing our money (and future) like it was his own to give away without consequence. Thank you no. Sometimes it is better the devil you know....
David Amos
Reply to Chuck Michaels
Ditto
Michael Cain
Reply to John Smith
Totally agree, but as long as the Conservatives want ultimate power, we will be stuck with an autocratic government.
Don Corey
Reply to G. Timothy Walton
So what exactly is her selling point?
Timothy Walton
Reply to Don Corey
That she's not the one who's been in power the last several years. That's really all she's got.
It seems like a lot more of a selling point after the last few months but that's not because of anything she's done.
Don Corey
Reply to G. Timothy Walton
That’s what I thought. So, in other words, her chances of winning are poor at best.
G. Timothy Walton
Reply to Don Corey
Perhaps. If she wins, it'll be because she's not Higgs.
As always, the best possible result would be a minority where having to play nice with others is required to stay in power.
At least this time it wouldn't be Kris Austin using political leverage to put saving a few bucks over people's safety.
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