Higgs says he'll stay on as New Brunswick's PC leader to fight next election
Premier won’t retire, saying he wants to 'build on this momentum’ with another mandate
Blaine Higgs is staying.
The New Brunswick premier announced Friday he will remain as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and seek another mandate in the next provincial election.
There's been speculation for months about whether Higgs, who will be 70 years old next March, would retire before the next election.
In February, at the annual state of the province speech, he teased the crowd by exiting the stage to the Clash song Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The question "has become increasingly relevant with the internal dissent that our government has experienced in the last six months," Higgs said Friday.
He was answering the question with a statement on social media.
"With the encouragement of many colleagues and people from across this province, I am confirming my intention to remain as leader and to reoffer in the next provincial election."
Higgs cited the province's economic and population growth during his time as premier and said it was important to "continue to build on this momentum."
The next election is scheduled for Oct. 21, 2024, though Higgs's statement didn't mention that date and did not rule out an earlier campaign.
He told reporters that a recent rebellion by six MLAs in his caucus "remains a big concern." Those members will be in a position to delay legislation when the legislature reconvenes in October.
"This looks like a guy who's got an election on his mind," Liberal Leader Susan Holt said.
"I don't want to get into the premier's head. It's not an attractive place to me. But that's the vibe."
She said the timing of the announcement was "poor."
"I think it's sad the premier is focused on his political ambitions when New Brunswickers are trying to prepare for a potentially dangerous storm and trying to deal with a nasty industrial fire in Saint John," she said.
Higgs said during a Hurricane Lee briefing Friday that he had talked to several people about the decision in recent days and decided to make the announcement "to end that debate before it became a story without my confirmation."
Quitting would be honourable thing Coon says
Green Leader David Coon said Higgs's decision prompted one Fredericton resident to call him and offer to volunteer for his local riding campaign.
"The honourable thing would be to step down, given the tumult in the province, the division he's causing and the division in his own caucus and party," Coon said.
"But like in so many things, Blaine Higgs decided to double down on being the premier, and so that's what we have."
Higgs, a former Irving Oil senior manager was first elected as an MLA in 2010.
He became PC party leader in 2016 and led the Tories to a narrow win in the 2018 election, scratching out one more seat than the Liberals to form a minority government with the support of the People's Alliance.
He won a majority two years later based largely on his government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic up until that point.
But his popularity took a hit the following year after a premature loosening of public health restrictions and a subsequent spike in cases.
Policy 713 changes prompted caucus revolt
Earlier this year, his decision to change parts of Policy 713, which was introduced in 2020 to guarantee minimum support for LGBTQ students, was the catalyst for a caucus revolt.
Four ministers and two backbench PC MLAs rebelled by voting for an opposition Liberal motion calling on the child and youth advocate to examine the changes — a call that led to a damning report by the advocate calling the new policy unconstitutional.
Two ministers, Dorothy Shephard and Trevor Holder, resigned in the wake of the revolt, saying the premier's centralizing of power in his office went against PC values.
Higgs shuffled the two other ministers, Jeff Carr and Daniel Allain, out of cabinet.
Carr said he would not run in the next election if Higgs stayed on as leader, and Shephard said she didn't see how she could.
Allain, Carr and Shephard said Friday they had no comment on the premier's decision. Holder did not respond to a request for a comment.
Higgs wouldn't say Friday whether he'd sign the nomination papers for any of the disgruntled MLAs if they decided to run again, noting those who already said they won't.
"It remains to be seen where we go from there but I think it was pretty clear that several have made that decision."
In June, the premier said the internal party turmoil might prompt him to stay on.
"If we can't get our own house in order so that we have a good process to transition and continue the momentum of what the province is experiencing right now, then I can't walk away from what we've achieved to date," he said.
Some grassroots PC members also tried to trigger a leadership review vote to remove Higgs, but that fizzled after the party invalidated some of the letters submitted under party rules.
If Higgs wins a majority in the next election, he'd be the first premier to win two straight majorities since Bernard Lord in 1999 and 2003.
Higgs says he'll stay on as New Brunswick's PC leader to fight next election
Premier won’t retire, saying he wants to 'build on this momentum’ with another mandate
The New Brunswick premier announced Friday he will remain as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party and seek another mandate in the next provincial election.
There's been speculation for months about whether Higgs, who will be 70 years old next March, would retire before the next election.
In February, at the annual state of the province speech, he teased the crowd by exiting the stage to the Clash song Should I Stay or Should I Go?
The question "has become increasingly relevant with the internal dissent that our government has experienced in the last six months," Higgs said Friday.
He was answering the question with a statement on social media.
"With the encouragement of many colleagues and people from across this province, I am confirming my intention to remain as leader and to reoffer in the next provincial election."
Higgs cited the province's economic and population growth during his time as premier and said it was important to "continue to build on this momentum."
The next election is scheduled for Oct. 21, 2024, though Higgs's statement didn't mention that date and did not rule out an earlier campaign.
The former Irving Oil senior manager was first elected as an MLA in 2010.
He became PC party leader in 2016 and led the Tories to a narrow win in the 2018 election, scratching out one more seat than the Liberals to form a minority government with the support of the People's Alliance.
He won a majority two years later based largely on his government's handling of the COVID-19 pandemic up until that point.
But his popularity took a hit the following year after a premature loosening of public health restrictions and a subsequent spike in cases.
Policy 713 changes prompted caucus revolt
Earlier this year, his decision to change parts of Policy 713, which was introduced in 2020 to guarantee minimum support for LGBTQ students, was the catalyst for a caucus revolt.
Four ministers and two backbench PC MLAs rebelled by voting for an opposition Liberal motion calling on the child and youth advocate to examine the changes — a call that led to a damning report by the advocate calling the new policy unconstitutional.
Two ministers, Dorothy Shephard and Trevor Holder, resigned in the wake of the revolt, saying his centralizing of power in his office went against PC party values.
Higgs shuffled the two other ministers out of cabinet.
One of them, Jeff Carr, said he would not run in the next election if Higgs stayed on as leader, and Shephard said she didn't see how she could.
Bid for leadership review failed
The premier said at the time that the turmoil might prompt him to stay on.
"If we can't get our own house in order so that we have a good process to transition and continue the momentum of what the province is experiencing right now, then I can't walk away from what we've achieved to date," he said.
Some grassroots PC members also tried to trigger a leadership review vote to remove Higgs, but that fizzled after the party invalidated some of the letters submitted under party rules.
If Higgs wins a majority in the next election, he'd be the first premier to win two straight majorities since Bernard Lord in 1999 and 2003.
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"The next election is scheduled for Oct. 21, 2024, though Higgs's statement didn't mention that date and did not rule out an earlier campaign.
He told reporters that a recent rebellion by six MLAs in his caucus "remains a big concern." Those members will be in a position to delay legislation when the legislature reconvenes in October."
"We are witnessing nothing more than “politics as usual.”
Premier Higgs is making a strategic political move. Minister Austin, oddly enough, is now a part of a secret, “behind closed doors” review committee such as he specifically railed and campaigned against – but it’s a significant feather in his political cap. Susan Holt is looking to establish herself as the Leader of the Liberals, a party strongly dependent on the Francophone vote. The SANB has never taken a cooperative or collaborative approach to anything – their strategy has always been to demand, intimidate, threaten, and sue.
So yes, it’s business as usual.
Furthermore, it’s a huge, controversial move than takes the focus away from healthcare, affordable housing, French Immersion, and tax cuts for the wealthy.
Don’t let yourself be sidetracked from what is important. The circus is only in town for a short time before it moves on, and the next amusement venture arrives."
Matt Steele
Content Deactivated
Allan Marven
Reply to Matt Steele
bring on an election, and we'll find out. If the party won't turf him ,we will.
Jos Allaire
Reply to Matt Steele
You will be very disappointed❗
David Amos
Reply to Jos Allaire
Not I Everybody loves a circus correct?
Reply to Matt Steele
Please explain Bill 46 then.
Blaine's work isn't finished yet.
He deserves another term.
Reply to Buford Wilson
Nope
David Amos
Reply to Graham McCormack
Ditto
You’re scaring us.
that premier has been working on his own agenda ever since he's been elected won't take advise from his own ministers or even expert in certain circumstance on health , ,education ,public sector workers ,and on ,an on.it's his way or the highway attitude the surplus that they brag about comes from hard working people and surely not from big corporation no dignity whatsoever sky-high rent people have a hard time to have a roof over their head kids going to school with an empty stomach what a shame !
Dianne MacPherson
Reply to valmond landry
The Premier "has been working " for the People
of NB ever since he's been elected !!
Has he been 'perfect'.....of course not.
'Blaming' him for a lot of the same things that are
happening in every Province , by the way,
is totally unfair.
Buford Wilson
Reply to Dianne MacPherson
(Good call, Dianne.)
Graham McCormack
Reply to Dianne MacPherson
The Premier "has not been working " for the People of NB.
Fixed it for you.
David Amos
Reply to Buford Wilson
Yea Right
Family Values ... Children should be Children, Parents get the Final say ...
There is nothing, I am afraid that can help you with your political views. Name one thing that Higgs has done to support working families in NB? Tax cuts and fees cuts for billionaires and those who make over $150,000 a year, which is less than .01% of NBers.
I can't wait to see what will happen after this
mini-revolt is past.
"Two ministers, Dorothy Shephard and Trevor Holder, resigned in the wake of the revolt, saying the premier's centralizing of power in his office went against PC values.
Higgs shuffled the two other ministers, Jeff Carr and Daniel Allain, out of cabinet.
Carr said he would not run in the next election if Higgs stayed on as leader, and Shephard said she didn't see how she could.
Allain, Carr and Shephard said Friday they had no comment on the premier's decision. Holder did not respond to a request for a comment.
Higgs wouldn't say Friday whether he'd sign the nomination papers for any of the disgruntled MLAs if they decided to run again, noting those who already said they won't.
"It remains to be seen where we go from there but I think it was pretty clear that several have made that decision."
No wonder folks who refer to Pierre as "PP" are also so opposed politics that affect school aged children. Those people have the same mental development level and feel like they're under attack.
[...waiting patiently for the sad news]
And tell us the science on this one. It should be fun.
Everything is political and its always about the money
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