Higgs says Christian conservative's candidacy is 'democracy in action'
Premier welcomes new supporters to party, but critic says he’s driving out moderates
Premier Blaine Higgs says the ascent of a Christian conservative activist as a Progressive Conservative election candidate for his party is "democracy in action" — despite accusations among PC members that he is stifling democratic procedures.
Higgs said in a year-end interview with CBC News that Faytene Grasseschi's nomination in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins was an example of how the process should work.
"We've seen a candidate that has signed up an unprecedented number of residents and new members into the party, who is showing tremendous interest to be representing the area and has got tremendous support, which is exciting in many ways."
The premier compared Grasseschi's acclamation to his own entry into politics in 2010 and his leadership victory in 2016, when he also signed up supporters who had not been PC members.
"You could argue that I kind of did that when I started."
The nomination race in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins was triggered by the local PC riding board, which scheduled the event on Dec. 19 and then tried to postpone it.
Faytene
Grasseschi was acclaimed as the candidate in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins
on Dec. 19 in front of a standing-room-only crowd in a community hall in
Nauwigewauk. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
After the party office refused, a second candidate, Jeremy Salgado, dropped out of the race.
The local board has complained that the process was unfair and is refusing to recognize Grasseschi's nomination.
But Higgs said "every element of the process of selecting a candidate in a riding was followed to the T."
At the meeting, the premier pointed to those who joined the PCs for the first time to support Grasseschi, saying they were "part of — I'll call it a movement, I'll call it a revolution, I'll call it whatever — but a part of an opportunity to change the face of politics."
His critics, however, say the outcome was another example of Higgs imposing his will on the party, contrary to its own internal democratic processes.
"What we see here is a classic example of a leader using his executive power — as premier, in this case — to undermine the political party that he is officially leader of," said Fredericton West-Hanwell MLA Dominic Cardy, who quit Higgs's cabinet in 2022.
The PC Party hasn't had a policy convention to develop new proposals since Higgs became leader in 2016, and Cardy said Higgs used his threat of an early election this fall to avoid a party annual general meeting.
The Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins PC association scheduled the riding nomination for Dec. 19, then tried to postpone it, only to be turned down by the party's head office.
Another candidate, Jeremy Salgado, dropped out and quit the PCs due to what he called "the misalignment of my beliefs and values with the current structure of our party."
Cardy said the result will be a party membership more in line with the premier's vision.
"You have the self-purging effect," he said.
But Higgs pointed out Salgado had endorsed him as leader just a week before pulling out.
"I didn't change in a week's time, but the number of new people that joined the party had," he said.
Won't say whether he'll endorse the dissenting 5
Though Higgs praised Grasseschi's win as a grassroots democratic effort, he refused to say if he'd allow five PC MLAs who broke ranks with him in June to run for the party next year.
Former cabinet ministers Trevor Holder and Dorothy Shephard both said Higgs circumvents the traditional decision-making process within the PC caucus, excluding ministers and MLAs from deliberations.
Higgs rejected the criticism, saying Policy 713 — the document laying out protections for LGBTQ students in provincial schools — was debated at length in the caucus and was supported by around 80 per cent of the members.
"I've probably demonstrated the willingness to weigh out the facts and make a decision because that's what I believe is necessary in the leadership role," he said.
"Not everyone will agree with that."
Some of the five MLAs have said they wouldn't run in 2024 if Higgs is still the leader.
The premier said that's why it's hypothetical to get into whether he'd sign their nomination papers.
At last week's nominating meeting, Higgs praised "the conviction, the determination and the pure ability" of Grasseschi.
Well-known in Christian conservative circles for her activism and for her Faytene TV show, she has also attracted criticism for her religious views.
"Jesus Christ has legitimately been invited to come into and have dominion over all of our affairs as a nation," she wrote in her 2004 book Stand On Guard.
At her nomination, Grasseschi told a reporter asking about statements in another of her books that she couldn't recall what she wrote more than two decades ago so couldn't say whether she stood by it.
"I can't with integrity answer that question," she said.
Higgs said he's confident Grasseschi will accept that "you have to separate your personal views from the greater good.
"But that doesn't mean you don't have your own beliefs and opinions. … What I would expect would be integrity, honesty, a conviction to do what's right for the province, irrespective of what her personal beliefs might be."
He also repeated his frequent comment that the PC caucus has "a lot of diverse opinions within the group."
Shift to less diverse, more hard-edged, says Cardy
Cardy said, however, that Higgs's embrace of Grasseschi, as well as former People's Alliance leader Kris Austin when Austin joined the PCs in 2022, amounts to a broken promise and a shift to a less diverse, more hard-edged, populist conservatism.
"He explicitly committed to me, when I joined the PCs in 2017, that there would be no move to social conservatism," Cardy said.
"He wasn't elected to do this, he certainly wasn't elected premier in 2020 to do any of this, and he's not allowing his own party to have a say."
Cardy said if Higgs is re-elected in 2024, "it'll be the Blaine Higgs party, not the Progressive Conservative Party."
Higgs refused to comment on Cardy's criticisms.
"I really see little value in responding to something he might say, because it would be something else tomorrow," he said.
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PCs choose Christian conservative as first candidate for 2024 election
Higgs praises ‘the pure ability’ of activist and broadcaster Faytene Grasseschi
New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative Party has its first candidate for next year's provincial election — a social conservative whose ascent has provoked divisions in the party but who has earned the praise of Premier Blaine Higgs.
Faytene Grasseschi was acclaimed as the candidate in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins in front of a standing-room-only crowd in a community hall in Nauwigewauk.
"I want to thank each and every one of you for recognizing the conviction, the determination and the pure ability of this young lady right here," Higgs told the crowd to loud applause.
Grasseschi told the crowd she put her name forward in response to a party revolt against Higgs for his revisions to Policy 713 in June.
Premier Blaine Higgs said he was happy to see people signing up for the first time because of Grasseschi. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
"Premier Higgs needs a team that actually is going to be his team, right? And have his back."
The outcome is a watershed moment for Grasseschi, a longtime Christian conservative activist and broadcaster who has lived in New Brunswick since 2020.
She has been a well-known, influential figure in social conservative circles for almost two decades, with tremendous clout among elected officials who make frequent appearances on her Faytene TV current affairs show.
But her victory Tuesday marks the first time she has secured a spot on an election ballot herself — in part by signing up new members of the party.
Riding resident Linda O'Coin said she's been a viewer of Grasseschi's TV program for a couple of years.
"I've always looked up to Faytene and what she stands for, her Christian beliefs, and I'm behind her a hundred per cent," O'Coin said
Another resident, Keith Weeks, said he has never voted in a provincial election but was motivated by "just some of the things she was talking about for the community and this and that. Kinda nice. It's nice to see young blood too."
Higgs said he was happy to see people signing up for the first time because of Grasseschi.
"Isn't it great to see new people joining the party for the right reasons, and being part of — I'll call it a movement, I'll call it a revolution, I'll call it whatever — but a part of an opportunity to change the face of politics, change the face of doing things that make sense?"
Current Hampton MLA Gary Crossman didn't attend Tuesday's meeting.
Riding
residents Linda and Gordon O’Coin were at the nominating meeting
Tuesday night. Linda said she stands behind Grasseschi 100 per cent. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
He said earlier this month he wasn't sure he could support Grasseschi, who he accused of starting to organize for the nomination before he announced his retirement.
In June, Grasseschi began recruiting followers to support Higgs on his changes to Policy 713, which now requires parental consent before teachers can use a chosen pronoun requested by a child under 16.
Her decision to run triggered a divisive battle in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, with the local riding association scheduling Tuesday's convention and then trying to reverse course and postpone it.
When the provincial PC head office refused to delay the meeting, Hampton Deputy Mayor Jeremy Salgado — whom Crossman wanted as the next PC candidate — dropped out of the race.
He cited what he called "the misalignment of my beliefs and values with the current structure of our party" and alleged Grasseschi was favoured by provincial party officials, giving her "a considerable advantage" over him.
Grasseschi disputed that, saying Salgago dropped out because the "overwhelming majority" of party members she has met "profoundly appreciate having an authentic conservative option."
In a Dec. 8 letter to party members, the local riding association said it "will not recognize any outcomes" from the nomination convention.
Grasseschi told reporters Tuesday night that she will work "with anyone who has the same goal of ensuring that the quality of life for all of our residents in this riding is improved. … So I'm hopeful that in time we'll all be able to come together and put the past behind us and say how can we solve some real problems for the members of our riding?"
When a reporter asked her if she stood by passages in a book she wrote about the role of religion in politics two decades ago, Grasseschi said she wasn't sure she even remembered the contents.
"I can't with integrity answer that question," she said.
She said followup questions about her faith were "propagating radical, extreme, woke, left-wing conspiracy theories."
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Outgoing PC MLA may not support Christian conservative successor
Gary Crossman unsure he’ll vote for Faytene Grasseschi as Hampton candidate
The Progressive Conservative MLA for Hampton says he doesn't think he can vote for the Christian conservative activist who is set to replace him as the party candidate in the next election.
Gary Crossman says he has heard concern in his riding about how Faytene Grasseschi has campaigned for the nomination and he isn't sure he can support her.
"No," he told CBC News in an interview when asked if he'd vote for Grasseschi.
He quickly added: "At the present time I'm undecided. I don't know anything about her. What I see, it's not what we're here for. It's not why I — I'm in the game to help people, all parties, all ages, [to] be as fair as you can."
Crossman's comments come as the battle over the nomination in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martin's takes yet another turn.
'Postponed' nominating meeting to proceed
When the deadline for nominations passed Tuesday afternoon, Grasseschi was the only candidate for the PC nomination in the riding.
But the executive of the party riding association told members late Tuesday afternoon it now plans to postpone the Dec. 19 nominating meeting "due to logistical challenges, including limited volunteer availability."
The executive said in its email to members that it has a legal opinion it can reschedule the event "independently" of the party head office.
Providing incorrect voting information is a voter suppression tactic that we often hear about in other countries.
— Doug Williams, PC executive director
But PC executive director Doug Williams told CBC News a postponement "is not really an option" because of various timelines and requirements in the PC party constitution already set in motion.
In a notice to members he said members were sent "incorrect information" and the nomination will go ahead.
"Providing incorrect voting information is a voter suppression tactic that we often hear about in other countries," he wrote.
"It's disappointing that this very negative, undemocratic practice is being used here in New Brunswick."
Vocal supporter of Policy 713 changes
Grasseschi is an activist and broadcaster well-known nationally among social conservatives, and a vocal supporter of Premier Blaine Higgs on his changes to Policy 713.
That policy now requires school staff to get the consent of parents before LGBTQ students under age 16 are allowed to use the names and pronouns they choose in classrooms.
Grasseschi says she has done well in the campaign because "the overwhelming majority" of party members she has met "profoundly appreciate having an authentic conservative option in our province — one that stands for families and for wise fiscal management."
In an email to CBC News, she said PC members want "an authentic conservative expression" rather than political parties that are all on "one side of the political spectrum."
Faytene Grasseschi said she hopes to work with Crossman to address issues in the riding. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
But Crossman says the turmoil over the nomination could make it hard for the PCs to win the seat in next year's election.
"It's certainly not going to help," said Crossman, who was first elected in 2014.
"I've talked to a lot of people. People talk to me and send me messages. They don't like that. They don't think it's transparent."
Grasseschi told CBC Tuesday she'll reach out to Crossman when she becomes the candidate and hopes to work with him to address issues in the riding.
"With the minister's years of service, I would trust our hearts to be united in this quest," she said in an email.
Deputy mayor drops out, cites misalignment of beliefs
Crossman announced Oct. 30 he will not run again and told CBC News he wanted Hampton deputy mayor Jeremy Salgado to be the PC candidate in the election next year.
But Salgado dropped out last week, citing what he called "the misalignment of my beliefs and values with the current structure of our party."
He also alleged Grasseschi was given "a considerable advantage" over him with advance notice of key information about the nomination process.
Both Grasseschi and Williams rejected that, noting the local Hampton riding board — made up of supporters of Salgado — chose the Dec. 19 date for the nomination convention.
In a social media post, Grasseschi said Salgado broke some rules about running for the nomination and the PC party was "quite gracious" to not disqualify him.
Grasseschi said she's being acclaimed this month "exclusively because Salgado's team initiated an early nomination date, and he apparently pulled out after seeing the support for my candidacy."
'It's like a full-force election campaign'
Crossman says some Tories in the riding have been put off by Grasseschi's approach, which he said has involved an unusually high amount of door-knocking, phone calls and flyers.
"It's a different nomination this time around. It's like a full-force election campaign over a year out," he said. "It's almost unheard of."
Grasseschi responded that she poured a lot of energy into her campaign because the premier was looking at a snap election this fall.
"I am a very hard worker, which will be an asset to anyone I serve," she said.
'Church-goers' boost membership
Grasseschi built a mailing list over the summer of people willing to join the PC party to support Higgs if he faced a challenge to his leadership over Policy 713 — an issue she defines as one of parental rights.
Crossman says he noticed new people signing up as Tories around the same time.
"I see the membership increasing from a lot of church-goers. The membership seems to be ramped up with strong feelings toward [Policy 713] back last spring," he said.
In October Grasseschi appealed to her followers to join the PC party to help nominate like-minded candidates for the next election.
She broadcasts her national show, Faytene TV, from New Brunswick through a non-profit company and also runs a separate activist group called 4 My Canada.
Former adherents of a religious movement called the New Apostolic Reformation told CBC News this summer that many of Grasseschi's writings align with the NAR, which advocates putting people with Christian values in government decision-making roles.
She said in July she was not "deeply acquainted" with that label.
Crossman said he didn't know whether he would attend the PC meeting on Dec. 19, where she is expected to be officially nominated.
"I'll have to see what I'm doing the 19th," he said. "I'll have to check my calendar."
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Wow
Reply to Don Corey
Reply to Don Corey
You can bet thin Canadian dimes to fat Yankee petrodollars that I called Jeremy Salgado's office
Moore, Rob - M.P.<Rob.Moore@parl.gc.ca> | Wed, Nov 1, 2023 at 8:26 PM |
| To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | |
*This is an automated response*
Thank you for contacting the Honourable Rob Moore, P.C., M.P. office. We appreciate the time you took to get in touch with our office.
If you did not already, please ensure to include your full contact details on your email and the appropriate staff will be able to action your request. We strive to ensure all constituent correspondence is responded to in a timely manner.
If your question or concern is time sensitive, please call our office: 506-832-4200.
Again, we thank you for taking the time to share your thoughts and concerns.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ Office of the Honourable Rob Moore, P.C., M.P. Member of Parliament for Fundy Royal | |
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Wed, Nov 1, 2023 at 8:24 PM |
| To: "Gary.Crossman" <Gary.Crossman@gnb.ca>, deputymayor.salgado@hampton.ca, brmacd@nbnet.nb.ca, rolyj@nb.sympatico.ca, oliviadonovan85@gmail.com, matt.garnett@nbliberal.ca, "Bill.Oliver" <Bill.Oliver@gnb.ca>, "Mitton, Megan (LEG)" <megan.mitton@gnb.ca> | |
| Cc: info@faytene.tv, "blaine.higgs" <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, "Tammy.Scott-Wallace" <Tammy.Scott-Wallace@gnb.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin" <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca> | |
Monday, 30 October 2023
PC environment minister won't run in next provincial election
PC environment minister won't run in next provincial election
Gary Crossman endorses Hampton deputy mayor as successor over Christian conservative activist
New Brunswick's Environment Minister Gary Crossman says he will retire from politics rather than run in the next provincial election.
And Crossman is signalling to Progressive Conservatives in the riding of Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins that he has a preferred successor for the party nomination.
"I will not be re-offering for another term," Crossman told CBC News Monday afternoon.
"It's time to travel and spend more time with my wife and more family time with my grandchildren."
Supports Jeremy Salgado
The 68-year-old former school principal, first elected in 2014, recently posted information on social media on how people in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins can sign up to join the PC party to help pick the party's candidate for the riding in the next election.
In the interview Monday, he said he supports Hampton Deputy Mayor Jeremy Salgado, who Crossman said has been interested in seeking the nomination.
"He's well-connected in the community, he's
well-respected, and he's not going anyplace," Crossman said. "He
certainly understands the needs of the community."
Faytene Grasseschi has not responded to questions from CBC News about
whether she plans to run provincially. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Crossman said he's been "surprised" to hear rumours around Hampton that Christian conservative activist and Quispamsis resident Faytene Grasseschi might want to run in the riding.
"I can't speak on Faytene. I really don't know her. All I know is there's certainly no reason not to support somebody local who is living here and has contributed."
Grasseschi has been encouraging New Brunswickers to sign up for the PC party to help choose what she calls "pro-parental rights" candidates for the next election.
She has not responded to questions from CBC News about whether she plans to run provincially.
Salgado says he will run
Salgado confirmed he will run for the PC nomination in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martin's whenever the party schedules a riding convention.
He said he was prepared for a contested nomination.
"We'll have to wait see whether she stays here in nomination or whether she wants to go somewhere else. Those plans I guess will be determined by her," he said.
"I'm a Hampton-born-and-raised fella, so I'm going to be sticking around these parts. I'm not going to spread out to any other community. This is my community and I'll be here for sure."
Grasseschi is a vocal supporter of Premier Blaine Higgs's changes to Policy 713, which now require parental consent before a child under 16 can adopt a new name or pronouns in school.
Critics say that risks outing some children who may face abuse at home over their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Crossman said Grasseschi called him a couple of weeks ago but "it was just small talk. It was nothing about running."
The long-time teacher, principal and school district co-ordinator said his decision to leave politics has been in the works for a couple of years and wasn't a reaction to the Policy 713 controversy this year.
He said teachers deal with complicated issues involving students every day and while parents should be "in the know," he added, "I do think things are not black or white. I think there's a grey area and each situation is different."
After winning his seat in 2014, Crossman was re-elected to a second term in 2018.
He said he planned on that being his last term but when it was cut short in 2020 due to a snap election call by Higgs, he decided to re-offer a final time.
The next election is officially scheduled for Oct. 21, 2024, but Higgs has said he's been "very close" to calling a second-straight early election this fall to put an end to instability in his caucus.
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94 Comments
Given the nature of politics, ethical candidates are often few and far between.
Content Deactivated
Yea Right
Minister's exclusive EV charging station frustrates other Fredericton drivers
Fast charger at government office building ‘for private use only,’ EV drivers told
Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: Sep 26, 2023 6:00 AM ADT
Fast charger at government office building ‘for private use only,’ EV drivers told
Jacques Poitras · CBC News · Posted: Sep 26, 2023 6:00 AM ADT
Sounds like something Faytene would say.
As far as Mr. Crossman is concerned, I would like to see a law against double dipping pensions as Mr. Crossman has a teachers pension and a ministerial pension. New Brunswick should limit pensions or make them choose one or another.
when the ship is heading for the rocks.
Environment meant nothing, after all.
Taxing air, next.
Martha I'm sure she would be a good MLA..does she speak French..if not, wellll..
Reply to Martha Diviine
Reply to Martha Diviine
Reply to Martha Diviine
There's a recent expression that sums up what any theocracy becomes, regardless of whether they're Christian, Jewish, Islamic or Hindu:
"Theocrats, Autocrats and Kleptocrats"
Reply to Martha Diviine
Higgs is trying to turn New New Nouveau-Brunswick into a Theocracy. New Brunswick = Theocracy. He won't succeed in the North.
Oh hum!
Feds cant be worse than the province. A few rules wouldnt cost anything to the taxpayer.
Wednesday 25 October 2023
Christian conservative group recruiting voters to sway PC nominations
Christian conservative group recruiting voters to sway PC nominations
Faytene Grasseschi wants “pro-parental rights” candidates chosen for potential election
Faytene Grasseschi is urging people on her mailing list to join the party to ensure the PCs nominate candidates who she calls "pro-parental rights."
In a YouTube video, Grasseschi, a Quispamsis resident, points out that local riding nomination contests can be decided by just a handful of votes.
"We want to make sure that there are strong parental rights candidates, candidates that are going to represent families, the faith community and all the issues that we care about," she said.
"We're pointing you to the PCNB party because that's the party that will most likely have the parental rights candidates landing here in the next couple of weeks."
Grasseschi
says she met with Blaine Higgs in March in his role as Quispamsis MLA,
before the Policy 713 controversy began. She went online in July urging
New Brunswickers to sign up for the PC Party to support Higgs if there
were an internal leadership review vote. (Submitted by Faytene Grasseschi)
The sign-up form is on the website of her activist organization 4 My Canada.
"Encouraging people to engage in democracy is nothing new; 4 My Canada has been doing it for decades, as it is one of the stated purposes of the non-profit," she said in an email to CBC News, in which she turned down an interview request.
Grasseschi launched the Don't Delete Parents campaign earlier this year on the 4 My Canada website to support Higgs's changes to Policy 713.
Changes to the policy requires parents to consent if children under 16 want to change names or pronouns to reflect their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Before the changes, school staff had to develop plans to informally accommodate the student's wishes in the classroom if the student didn't want their parents notified.
The change was the catalyst for a revolt within the PC party, and its caucus of MLAs, over Higgs's leadership and decision-making style.
The premier says he has been "very close" to calling an election this fall to put an end to the instability in his caucus.
Grasseschi, well-known in Christian conservative circles for her Faytene TV current affairs show, went online in July urging New Brunswickers to sign up for the party to support Higgs if there were an internal leadership review vote.
That vote never happened, but she is using that mailing list now to help people buy PC memberships to vote in local riding nomination contests that would unfold quickly, if Higgs calls an election.
Supporters
of gender policy in New Brunswick schools have held rallies over the
past several months, after changes were announced to Policy 713. (Lars Schwarz/CBC)
Shawn Rouse, the parent of a transgender student who opposed Higgs's Policy 713 changes, says Grasseschi has the right to influence the political process but said it "can be very dangerous to weaponize politics."
He said the "pro-parental rights" label is misleading.
"We know what that means is it takes away the ability for the child under 16 in New Brunswick schools to be able to choose when they come out to their parents and at school."
Rouse said since Grasseschi doesn't have a trans child, "I'm not sure why she's so passionate about this issue. It makes me ask what she has to gain, and it certainly seems like she's looking to further her political career with it."
Until yesterday, the sign-up page on Grasseschi's 4 My Canada website included data with the name of the Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins provincial riding.
That constituency is next to the Quispamsis riding, where she lives and where Higgs plans to run again.
Grasseschi refused in two email exchanges with CBC News to say whether she plans to run.
She said the mention of the Hampton riding name in the web page data was a mistake.
"The title on the form is incorrect," she wrote in the email. "As the graphic clearly says, the form is not riding-specific, but for the entire province. I'll see if one of the team can look into that and update it as I can see how that would be confusing."
The label was changed as of Tuesday morning.
The PC riding association president in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, Jeremy Salgado, said he hasn't heard whether current MLA Gary Crossman will run again.
Salgado said there have been rumours about Grasseschi running but nothing official.
Former adherents of a religious movement called the New Apostolic Reformation told CBC News this summer that many of Grasseschi's past statements as an activist align with tenets of the NAR, which seeks to put people with Christian values in charge of political institutions.
She responded at the time that her faith is about service and is "never about control," and that her views had changed over the years.
"As we go, we mature and deepen in understanding," she said.
Grasseschi sought the federal Conservative nomination for Saint John-Rothesay in the 2021 election, and in a July interview with CBC News said she had thought "vaguely" about running provincially someday.
She also said at the time the mailing list she was gathering to support Higgs could be put to use in a future election.
"There's power in engagement. The nation and our communities are shaped by those who show up in the process. So I'm going to continue to create levers to onramp people into the democratic process," she said in July.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Sadly this “christian” thinks otherwise
Friday, 14 July 2023
Christian conservative group recruiting thousands to back Higgs
The Writ Podcast - Ep. #101: Can Blaine Higgs hold on?
Michelle LeBlanc and Jacques Poitras discuss the latest upheavals in New Brunswick politics.
Christian conservative group recruiting thousands to back Higgs
2 activists say they’ll urge people to join PC party to vote for premier in leadership review
It and another organization rallying support for the embattled Progressive Conservative leader have flexed their muscles in the last month, gathering enough names to swing the vote in his favour.
"A lot of times it's hundreds or even dozens of people that can make a difference in some of these elections," said Faytene Grasseschi, who runs the group 4 My Canada from Quispamsis, outside Saint John.
As of Wednesday she said she had collected almost 9,000 names from across Canada, including 2,000 from New Brunswick who could sign up as provincial PC members.
In
a statement, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said he has received
support 'from a wide cross section of individuals' who come from
'different backgrounds, different cultures, and different religions.' (CBC)
"If it goes to a leadership review, I think it's buying that membership and making your voice heard," said Grasseschi.
"This is just basic democracy, right?"
Another group, Right Now, has more than 1,200 signatures. Co-founder Alissa Golob estimates more than 90 per cent of them are from New Brunswickers who are eligible to become provincial party members.
"We'll be ready if it does come to a leadership review or if it comes down to an election," said Golob, who describes her organization as non-religious.
Twenty-six PC riding association presidents have signed letters calling for a review, hoping to trigger a vote by members on whether to dump Higgs. New Brunswick's premier has lost or fired several cabinet ministers in recent months over his leadership style, and stance on issues like a gender policy in the province's schools.
The next hurdle is a two-thirds vote by the party's governing body to schedule a convention. But if that happens, Higgs has a good chance of surviving thanks to Grasseschi and Golob.
Just 2,732 PC members cast ballots in the third and final round of the party's 2016 leadership vote that Higgs won.
His margin was 394 votes — far fewer than the number of names collected by 4 My Canada and Right Now.
"The nation and our communities are shaped by those who show up in the process," Grasseschi said.
Groups leapt into action over Policy 713
The two groups started mobilizing last month after Higgs faced a cabinet and caucus revolt in the legislature over changes to Policy 713.
The original policy required school staff to respect the name and pronoun choices of students under 16 in the classroom, without notifying parents if that's what the child wanted.
Now, if a child refuses to include parents, they'll be directed to a school psychologist or social worker to come up with a plan to include them. In the interim, teachers and staff are required to use the child's given name and pronoun at birth.
Two ministers resigned from cabinet after joining four other PCs to vote with the opposition to help pass a Liberal motion calling for more consultations.
They said they quit over broader problems with the premier's top-down leadership style, but Higgs has insisted the rebellion is about Policy 713 and parents' rights.
In a recent interview on True North, a conservative digital media site, Grasseschi said the original policy assumed "every parent is a villain. [But] most parents are not villains."
In fact, the policy was aimed at a tiny percentage of parents who might react badly or even violently if their children revealed they were questioning or changing their gender identity.
Grasseschi told CBC News that Higgs is trying to "strike a balance" to protect "vulnerable youth" while respecting the role of parents.
Author says trans issues 'a new hub' for Christian conservatives
Grasseschi is something of a celebrity in Christian conservative circles.
She first came to prominence as an organizer of mass prayer rallies called TheCry and founded 4 My Canada in 2006.
In 2009 well-known Canadian televangelist David Mainse compared her to Old Testament figures Deborah and Esther, saying she had a "prophetic edge."
Journalist Marci McDonald, author of a 2010 book on the Christian conservative movement, called her "very compelling and charismatic" and "one of the leading figures in this country's emerging Christian right."
McDonald said in an interview she believes Grasseschi and others are using the issue of LGBTQ rights in schools as "a new hub to get Christians, evangelical Christians, the religious right, involved in politics again, as a new rallying cry.
"They haven't had a rallying issue since same-sex marriage that brought people out to the polls."
Support can grow 'exponentially,' says Right Now co-founder
Right Now has existed since 2016 and focuses mainly on abortion.
Its online petition to support Higgs cites both Policy 713 and his refusal to fund abortions in Fredericton's Clinic 554.
Golob said she believes most of the New Brunswickers who have signed are not PC members because many of them opposed some of his other policies, such as COVID-19 restrictions early in the pandemic.
But she said they form a base that can be deployed in any leadership review or election where Higgs's future is on the line.
Roxana
Kreklo, a Sussex parent of school-age children who works for Harvest
Prison Ministries, says she joined the Progressive Conservative Party
two weeks ago expressly to support Higgs. (Ed Hunter/CBC)
"You can grow that exponentially as long as you have that solid foundation," she said.
In a statement, Higgs said he has received support "from a wide cross section of individuals" who come from "different backgrounds, different cultures, and different religions."
He said "despite their differences," they share his belief and support what he calls his balanced approach.
Sussex parent joins PCs to back Higgs
The strategy of the two groups is already bearing fruit.i
Roxana Kreklo, a Sussex parent of school-age children who works for Harvest Prison Ministries, said she joined the PC party two weeks ago expressly to support Higgs.
"I think it's important for all of us to get involved civically," she said.
Kreklo moved to Canada as a child from Romania, shortly after the collapse of Communist rule there — one reason she said she's getting involved politically now.
"I understand the value of of coming to a place that is a free and democratic society," she said. "So I want to do what I can to preserve that for my kids and for other kids as well."
Grasseschi disputes author's description
McDonald said Grasseschi is part of a movement called the New Aposotolic Reformation that aims to put believers in government leadership positions so Canada can be "restored to be a Christian nation in time for the second coming of Christ," she said.
Grasseschi would not confirm that.
"You know, that would be a good question," she told CBC News. "I don't know. I hear these types of terms thrown around. People assume that I know. I actually have the same question myself."
But Grasseschi said she is not aiming to create the kind of Christian-based government McDonald claims.
She also said her history with the Christian conservative movement isn't relevant to the current debate in New Brunswick.
"I think every young person wants to change the world," she said. "Once we get older, we just want the government to stay out of our pockets and not delete us from the lives of our kids."
What's next after Policy 713?
Grasseschi and Kreklo are both vague on whether they want further changes to the guidelines around LGBTQ students or other policies.
"Of course I haven't dissected the policy," Kreklo said. "I've just been made aware of it. … So as it stands right now, I'm happy with that first point of keeping the lines of communication open."
Grasseschi hopes to persuade the province to issue tax credits to parents who take their children out of public schools and enrol them in private schools, in effect allowing them to move their tax dollars out of the public system.
Grasseschi says met with Higgs in March in his role as Quispamsis MLA,
before the Policy 713 controversy began. (Submitted by Faytene
Grasseschi)
Higgs's spokesperson was asked for a comment on that idea, but the premier's statement to CBC News didn't include a response.
Grasseschi would not say if she'll lobby Higgs for more on Policy 713 or on issues such as abortion access or Medicare coverage of gender-confirming surgery for transgender people.
"If some of these other things come back onto the radar down the line, maybe we can have another conversation at that point," she said
Political activism separate from charity group, Grasseschi says
Besides running 4 My Canada, Grasseschi is also executive director of a charity called V-Kol Media Ministries, which runs a range of programs and produces her Faytene TV show.
The program, which looks at current affairs from a faith-based perspective, airs online and on several cable channels.
V-Kol and 4 My Canada shared the same mailing address, but Grasseschi said they are "separate legally and financially" and she recently set up a separate post office box for the charity to make that clear.
V-Kol issues charitable tax receipts to donors, so it is restricted from political advocacy, while 4 My Canada, a non-profit without charitable status, is free to be vocal and active.
Right Now and 4 My Canada also operate outside provincial laws on election transparency.
Since 2015, Elections New Brunswick has required party leadership candidates and riding nomination candidates to register and disclose their donors.
But there's no such rule for party leadership reviews.
There are also rules on third-party advertising, but they only apply during election campaigns.
Grasseschi won't rule out another election run
Grasseschi herself has already waded directly into electoral politics.
Not long after moving to New Brunswick, she ran unsuccessfully to be the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for Saint John-Rothesay in the last federal election.
Not
long after moving to New Brunswick, Grasseschi ran unsuccessfully to be
the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for Saint John-Rothesay in
the last federal election, but she lost to former Saint John mayor Mel
Norton. (Graham Thompson/CBC)
She lost to former Saint John mayor Mel Norton, who went on to lose to Liberal incumbent Wayne Long.
She is not ruling out running federally again. She also said she has thought "vaguely, vaguely" about running provincially in Quispamsis whenever Higgs retires as MLA.
"Right now I'm just trying to get my laundry done," she said. "Right now I'm just trying to get to tomorrow. But we all take things a day at a time in this world, right?"
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
With files from Alix Villeneuve, Radio-Canada
"Not long after moving to New Brunswick, Grasseschi ran unsuccessfully to be the Conservative Party of Canada candidate for Saint John-Rothesay in the last federal election, but she lost to former Saint John mayor Mel Norton.
https://www.itstartsrightnow.ca/about
WHO WE ARE
We’re a group of passionate strategists who understand the need for effective political campaigns that get results. We are inclusive, we are diverse and we are here to win.
Alissa Golob, Co-Founder
Scott Hayward, Co-Founder
HOW WE STARTED
After
being born into one of the only countries in the world with no law on
abortion and working full-time in the political pro-life movement that
saw little success, we realized it’s time for change. Instead of
rallying and protests, we’re organizing and mobilizing to effectively
nominate and elect pro-life politicians across the country, so we can
start passing life-saving legislation for the first time in over 40
years.
OUR MISSION
RightNow exists to nominate and elect pro-life politicians by mobilizing Canadians on the ground level to vote at local nomination meetings, and provide training to volunteers across the country to create effective campaign teams in every riding across Canada. It is only when we have a majority of pro-life politicians in our legislatures, that we’ll see pro-life legislation passed in our country.Contact Us
Eastern office: 204-573-0296Western office: 587-435-0166
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Tuesday 25 July 2023
Breakaway believers warn PC party of 'Dominionist' religious movement
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Breakaway believers warn PC party of 'Dominionist' religious movement
3 former adherents say Christian conservatives are more radical than they seem
In 2019, members of the Canadian Prophetic Council were meeting in Charlottetown and decided to pose for a photo in front of the lieutenant-governor's residence.
They were recreating an iconic image in the country's history.
In 1864, the Fathers of Confederation were photographed in the same location, in the same poses, during a break in their deliberations on the creation of Canada.
Among those in the 2019 photo was Faytene Grasseschi, a leading figure in the Christian conservative movement based in New Brunswick since 2020.
Sitting in the Sir John A. Macdonald position was Tatyana Russell-Chipp, a musician and missionary at Grasseschi's church in Quispamsis.
In
2019, members of the Canadian Prophetic Council, in the lower photo,
tried to recreate an inconic 1864 image of the Fathers of Confederation
in front of the lieutenant-governor’s residence in Charlottetown.
(Library and Archives Canada and submitted by Tatyana Russell-Chipp )
The new photo was more than a cheeky homage, said Russell-Chipp, and was meant as "a prophetic act."
"Like, 'we're going to be who you were, in a new time, in order to be God's hands and feet for Canada, to reestablish the Dominion of Canada as something that honours God,'" Russell-Chipp said in an interview.
The Fathers of Confederation called the new nation the "Dominion of Canada," inspired by Psalm 72:8 — "He shall have dominion from sea to sea and from the river unto the ends of the earth."
For some believers, that choice of words was a sign from God, according to former followers.
"It's prophetic to them," said Brent Harris, a Saint John city councillor who worked as a minister for churches affiliated with Grasseschi's church in Quispamsis.
"Using that word was the Lord coming in to put his fingerprint on the nation, and when the resurrection happens, you know this will be the nation of Canada rising to its proper place in the kingdom," Harris said.
To pave the way for that, adherents believe that "true believers must be elected," said Marci McDonald, the author of a 2010 book on the Christian conservative movement.
'If you love something you get involved,' Grasseschi says
Grasseschi now leads the Canadian Prophetic Council, which lists "belief in the supremacy of the Word of God" as its first core value.
She also hosts a TV show looking at current affairs from a faith-based perspective.
Her organization, 4 My Canada, is running a webpage signing up people to support Premier Blaine Higgs on his changes to Policy 713, which sets out protections for LGBTQ+ students in schools.
Since
Faytene Grasseschi publicly defended Premier Blaine Higgs, she has been
called out by those who believe her political activism is driven by
religious doctrine. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
If Higgs faces a leadership review in the Progressive Conservative Party, Grasseschi plans to urge those who sign to buy party memberships to vote for him.
"What motivated me is that I love Canada," she said in an interview with CBC News earlier this month, in which she avoided questions about how her religious views drive her political involvement.
"If you love something you get involved, and it's really as simple as that. … The nation and our communities are shaped by those who show up in the process."
However, her previous statements and involvement in various religious organizations have caused some to question the motivations behind her campaign — and to urge PC party members to be wary.
'Much more radical' behind the scenes: former follower
Since Grasseschi gave that interview, several former followers have called her out on social media.
They believe a religious doctrine called the New Apostolic Reformation is central to her political activism, and to her attempts to influence the PC party's debate about Higgs's future.
"They just want to come across as very caring and pleasant and normal, regular people, and they're really good at that," said Sarah Ecker, a former adherent of NAR who lives outside Fredericton.
Sarah
Ecker, a former follower of the New Apostolic Reformation, says
adherents 'want to come across as very caring and pleasant and normal,
regular people.' (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
"But then behind the scenes they're much more radical in their beliefs."
According to Russell-Chipp, Grasseschi's political activism "checks all the boxes" of the NAR, which she said "aims to make society look more like heaven, so it's more plausible for Jesus to return."
And she said that could make society "a really unsafe place for a lot of marginalized groups, especially queer people, especially trans people."
NAR adherence 'hard to pin down,' expert says
Adherence to NAR is, however, "very hard to pin down" because of the movement's amorphous nature, said André Gagné, a Concordia University professor who has studied the Christian right.
It lacks a defined congregation, hierarchy or structure.
C. Peter Wagner, a U.S. missionary who coined the term New Apostolic Reformation, wrote in 2011 that it is "not an organization. No one can join or carry a card. It has no leader."
Ecker said some adherents "aren't even aware of these terms, but they hold these ideas deeply. … So it's really easy to say, 'Oh, I'm not part of that.'"
Gagné points to Grasseschi's 2005 book, Stand on Guard, where she called for Canadians to reestablish "the righteous foundations laid by generations past" and stand up for "the dominion of Jesus Christ manifested in every arena of the nation."
A close look at the web of networks and associations among Christian conservatives shows connections between Grasseschi and figures "associated" with NAR, said Gagné.
He said they include Cindy Jacobs, a U.S. faith leader close to Wagner who co-founded Generals International, whose website espouses "spiritual warfare," and Stacey Campbell, who founded the Canadian Prophetic Council that Grasseschi now runs.
But Grasseschi said she has "no memory" of Jacobs or Campbell using the term NAR.
Criticism based on firsthand experience, former adherents say
Gagné said NAR adherents espouse a concept called Dominionism that holds that "Christians are called by God to rule, to have authority and penetrate and have influence on the social and political institutions of their country and the world."
The three former followers all believe Grasseschi subscribes to that view.
They say that's based on their own first-hand experience, though Grasseschi disputes that.
"The people who left the church did not know me beyond a surface acquaintance, and we never had conversations about these things together," she said.
Russell-Chipp worshipped alongside Grasseschi at her church in Quispamsis, Harris was part of the same movement, and Ecker considers herself a former adherent of the New Apostolic Reformation.
Tatyana Russell-Chipp was a musician and missionary at Grasseschi’s church in Quispamsis. (Submitted by Tatyana Russell-Chipp)
Russell-Chipp joined the church in Quispamsis in 2017 and said the church became more politically active in 2020 when Grasseschi arrived.
"She was extremely driven and knew that this was a place that she could get support from people who thought like her," said Russell-Chipp.
Church members volunteered for her unsuccessful campaign to win the federal Conservative nomination for Saint John-Rothesay for the 2021 election, she said.
They did so "on their own time and of their own volition," Grasseschi responded, and with no financial support from the church.
NAR's goal: 'kingdom-minded people' in 7 key areas
Wagner, the American religious leader who first defined NAR, said in 2011 its goal was "to have kingdom-minded people" in seven key areas of society: religion, family, education, government, media, the arts and business.
Those leaders, he said, would help "the blessings and prosperity of the Kingdom of God … permeate all areas of society" and "push back the long-standing kingdom of Satan and bring the peace and prosperity of His kingdom here on earth.
"This is what we mean by Dominionism," Wagner wrote.
Grasseschi said she is not a Dominionist and the NAR label "is not one I am deeply acquainted with. My sense is that it has been used in a derogatory way to try to label people of faith to try to discount them in the public square."
Religion not relevant to Policy 713 debate, Grasseschi says
In her July 12 CBC interview, Grasseschi said her religious views were not relevant to her political involvement and didn't want to discuss them in detail.
"Do I believe in the power of prayer? Absolutely," she said. "I think most Canadians do."
But she said many New Brunswickers of other faiths, or of no faith, were signing her petition supporting Higgs on Policy 713.
She said she was motivated as a mother, believing parents should not be excluded from discussions at school about their children wanting to change their names and pronouns to reflect their gender identity.
Gagné said it's common for NAR followers to frame their efforts "in a way that doesn't sound religious" to gain allies and advance their agenda.
Activist said she's not hiding her faith
Asked about the criticism by Ecker, Russell-Chipp and Harris, Grasseschi wrote in a July 22 email that "I am not hiding (or ashamed) that I am a person of faith, this is public knowledge, and I have revealed it plainly for years.
"It just isn't relevant to [Don't Delete Parents] and our support of the premier on 713. This is about parents."
She pointed out that Psalm 72, where the "dominion" phrase appears, "is about protecting the needy, the afflicted who are abandoned, and defending the weak from violence."
Grasseschi says she met with Higgs in March in his role as Quispamsis
MLA, before the Policy 713 controversy began. (Submitted by Faytene
Grasseschi)
She said that's why she supported federal legislation to fight human trafficking, helped Ukrainians fleeing the war, worked to create community gardens to help people facing food insecurity, and backed a Conservative MP's 2010 bill to ban what it calls "coerced" abortions.
Grasseschi has also been a missionary in Africa and a volunteer helping homeless people in Vancouver.
"I believe in Christ-like service, loving our neighbour as ourselves and crossing the road to help," she said.
"The leadership of Christ is always about serving and laying your life down for others, particularly the most vulnerable. That is His style. It is never about control."
Some figures 'rebranding' NAR because of divisions
Gagné said divisions over NAR among U.S. evangelicals, prompted in part by mistaken prophecies that Donald Trump would remain in power and by the Jan. 6 insurrection, have led some figures to distance themselves from the term.
"They're just changing names, relabelling, rebranding, but in the end it still remains, pretty much at the core, a lot of the same ideas," he said.
"I'm not convinced that Faytene doesn't know what this is. I think she knows what this is. … I'm not saying people don't change through time, but it's clear in her 2005 book, she did talk about dominion."
Have Grasseschi's views changed?
Grasseschi said her ideas have evolved over the years.
"There are things I said years ago that I would not say today or not in the same way. This could be said of any public person," she said.
"As we go, we mature and deepen in understanding. Our communities are also in a different place, and the conversations are different."
Russell-Chipp is skeptical based on what she saw when she attended Grasseschi's church.
"She's still advocating for the same things. She still maintains the same world view," she said.
"I can't imagine that much has changed for her."
And that vision "is not a safe world view for queer people, for trans people," she added.
In her email responses, Grasseschi compared anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment to how she said she has been "bullied in a sustained way" for her views.
"I respect the rights of adults to identify and live as they wish. … I would never do anything to create an unsafe culture for others, no matter who they are."
PCs should 'do some soul-searching'
All three of Grasseschi's critics have now left the movement.
Ecker said she still has church-going friends "and they're wonderful people. I just don't want to be in those spaces right now. I find so much joy in quietness and reflecting."
But she has been vocal on social media about Grasseschi and is urging New Brunswick's PC party to "do their homework, figure out who people are, who they really are" or risk further radicalizing and dividing provincial politics.
In a mid-July statement about Grasseschi's campaign, Higgs said he has received support "from a wide cross section of individuals" who come from "different backgrounds, different cultures, and different religions."
He said "despite their differences," they share his belief and supports his what he calls his balanced approach on Policy 713.
Ecker says Tory members "need to do some soul searching and reflecting on who they want to attach their cart to."
"Are they using that movement or is that movement using them?"
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices
Federal Court Rule 55 In special circumstances, in a proceeding, the Court may vary a rule or dispense with compliance with a rule. SOR/2004-283, s. 11
Freedom of religion is specified directly in the constitution, so long as your perspective doesn't involve imposing your religion's views on others, then there isn't a conflict.
Groucho Marx
YO Higgy I must that the all knowing dudes Éric Grenier and Brent Harris have an interesting podcasts about you EH?
Harpelle, Paul (ENB)<Paul.Harpelle@gnb.ca> | Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 9:49 PM |
| To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | |
I am currently out of the office. I will return on July 24, 2023 and will reply to your email at that time. ______________________________ Je suis presentement absenste du bureau. Je retournerai le 24 juillet 2023. Je repondrai à votre courriel à ce temps. | |
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Fri, Jul 21, 2023 at 9:47 PM |
| To: "blaine.higgs" <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca>, "Paul.Harpelle" <Paul.Harpelle@gnb.ca>, simpson.barbara@brunswicknews.com, "hugh.flemming" <hugh.flemming@gnb.ca>, "andrea.anderson-mason" <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca>, NancyGrant@rothesay.ca, contact@donnareardon.ca, info@v-kol.com, mnorton@lawsoncreamer.com, Wayne.Long@parl.gc.ca, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, rick.mantle@oldies96.com, info@newsysj.ca, info@melvincent.ca, howardyeomansSJ@gmail.com, ac.capson@gmail.com, neilclements1@gmail.com, Brent@brentharris4sj.ca, steven.hend@gmail.com, deansecord4council@gmail.com, arthurwatson@hotmail.ca, blake.armstrong@saintjohn.ca, gary.sullivan@saintjohn.ca, crowley4council@gmail.com, joanna@slocumandferris.com, richardlee4ward1@gmail.com, GregNortonSJ@gmail.com, crwithers33@gmail.com, woodin4ward1@gmail.com, jasonalcornSJ@gmail.com, larryharlow4ward2@gmail.com, pattyhiggins60@gmail.com, jhkunitzkye@gmail.com, mackenziej76@gmail.com, votesj@barryogden.ca, jacobstackhouse@hotmail.com, tamara.steele506@gmail.com, jocelynstevens44@gmail.com, justin@quoddyconsulting.com, conorvienneau@hotmail.com, rgw@wilson4saintjohn.com, mariahdarling4council@gmail.com, peterdforsj@gmail.com, bjecaringhomechildcare@gmail.com, d.hickey1@icloud.com, ward3.SJ@gmail.com, votefranksj@gmail.com, glowe133@rogers.com, adam4sj@gmail.com, bishopdr@bellaliant.net, Bruce.Court@hotmail.com, chris.daigle.w4@gmail.com, hooley_10@hotmail.com, Kimberh63@gmail.com, Dan.OConnor2021@gmail.com, paularadwan4council@gmail.com, greg4ward4@gmail.com, raystrowbridge@gmx.com, elizabethaohara@gmail.com, maryschryer@gmail.com | |
| Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, Emma.McPhee@brunswicknews.com, news@oldies96.com, Robert.Jones@cbc.ca | |
The Writ Podcast - Ep. #101: Can Blaine Higgs hold on? Éric Grenier 1.84K subscribers 485 views Michelle LeBlanc and Jacques Poitras discuss the latest upheavals in New Brunswick politics. https://twitter.com/nbpolipod NBPoliPod @nbpolipod We are a grassroots podcast focused on issues in NB. Hosted by Joanna Killen & Brent Harris. We bring you our personal insight into the issues that affect us. PodcastSaint John, New Brunswicklinktr.ee/nbpolipod? NBPoliPod @nbpolipod · Jul 6 We have a bombshell of a podcast this week. We are deep diving into the charismatic Christian nationalists and their engagement with Premier Higgs. Brent will tell his story about being involved with similar groups as @Faytene . #nbpoli listen here: https://linktr.ee/nbpolipod | |
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