Former minister Daniel Allain announces he won't run in next election
Moncton East PC MLA is 2nd caucus member this week to opt against being a candidate for Premier Blaine Higgs
Another Progressive Conservative MLA has announced he won't be a candidate in this year's provincial election, the second member of Premier Blaine Higgs's caucus to quit politics this week.
Moncton East MLA Daniel Allain posted the announcement on his Facebook page Friday morning. He said he'll remain in the legislature until the election is called.
Allain joins New Maryland-Sunbury MLA Jeff Carr in opting this week not to run.
The two PC members were shuffled out of Higgs's cabinet last June after voting against the government on an opposition motion calling for more study of changes to Policy 713 on gender identity in schools.
At the time, Allain said the political party he had supported for decades "is in a crisis. … I'm asking the question: is it worth the fight?"
Allain
was first elected in the 2020 election. He had been an adviser to two
previous PC premiers, Bernard Lord, left, and David Alward. (CBC)
Last fall, however, he sounded more conciliatory, saying he met with Higgs in a bid to help unify the party and the relationship between the premier and his caucus was "going in the right direction."
He also said at the time he planned to run in the new Moncton-area riding of Champdoré-Irishtown this year.
His Friday statement did not not explain what had changed but said his commitment to the PC Party is "unwavering."
"This party has played an important role in my life," he wrote. "I look forward to continuing to build this party in the future, which to me means being fiscally conservative and socially progressive."
Allain was first elected in the 2020 election. He had been an adviser to two previous PC premiers, Bernard Lord and David Alward.
As a minister, he became Higgs's francophone lieutenant, the government's lead spokesperson in the French-language media.
He also stickhandled the government's complex restructuring of local government.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
Reply to David Amos
However I still believe Allain will be the next leader/premier
Reply to David Amos
He's be better than Higgs
Reply to Bobby Richards
He'd
marc lapointe
Reply to David Amos
...but the rank & file are shrinking.
..
David Amos
Reply to marc lapointe
Trudeau the Younger has the same problem
Reply to Don Corey
Don Corey
Reply to David Amos
I wonder about that....he should.
Reply to Wilbur Ross
Reply to Matt Steele
Reply to Don Corey
Reply to Matt Steele
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Matt Steele
Reply to Don Corey
Reply to David Amos
Good for me, and the province.
Pedal to the metal.
Reply to Al Clark
Reply to Cathy Watson
Reply to Cathy Watson
Reply to Les Cooper
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Reply to Ralph Skavinsky
Reply to Ralph Skavinsky
Reply to Lou Bell
And, don't expect Allain to leave the PC party.
Reply to Donald Smith
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Reply to David Amos
A backhanded compliment if there ever was one.
Reply to Hugh MacDonald
The Earth is now about 1.2 C warmer than it was in the 1800s.
The NOAA says there’s more than a 99 per cent chance 2023 was the hottest on record beating the last record in 2016.
Human activities have raised atmospheric concentrations of CO2 by nearly 49 per cent above pre-industrial levels starting in 1850.
The world is not on track to meet the Paris Agreement target to keep global temperature from exceeding 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels, the upper limit to avoid the worst fallout from climate change.
On the current path of carbon dioxide emissions, the temperature could increase by as much as 4.4 C by the end of the century.
In April, 2022 greenhouse gas concentrations reached record new highs and show no sign of slowing.
Emissions must drop 7.6 per cent per year from 2020 to 2030 to keep temperatures from exceeding 1.5 C and 2.7 per cent per year to stay below 2 C.
97 % of climate scientists agree that the climate is warming and that human beings are the cause.
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Wilbur Ross
Reply to David Amos
Reply to Robert Losier
Trump
Poilievre
Higgs
2025 will be the best.
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Robert Losier
David Amos
Being a little redundant aren't ya?
Bobby Richards
Reply to claude bourgeois
Reply to claude bourgeois
Reply to Murray Brown
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Graham McCormack
Reply to Don Corey
So many with hopes of a Liberal Government in NB. There will not one in this decade for sure. Polls show the slow demise of the Liberals continues apace.
Yea Right
Reply to Bobby Richards
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Bobby Richards
Reply to Bobby Richards
Mike Holland challenged the sitting PC MLA, Brian Keirstead and won the nomination and eventually the 2018 election. Doesn't happen often but possible.
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Bobby Richards
My thinking is yes he does ... possibly the reason he has decided to step down making room for yet another Progressive from the Party to step up.
Four More Years with The Premier at the helm.
Reply to Robert Losier
Good Luck with that.
Reply to Akimbo Alogo
Both parties in NB Red or Blue have been Horrible for the last 45 years.
David Amos
Reply to stephen magee
Oh so true
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to Robert Losier
Reply to james bolt
business interests' exploitation them. Is he running federally? Has that been announced?
who may not be.
Faytene will save him
Reply to Robert Losier
No self respecting person would present themselves for the Conservatives. They are growing more extreme and right wing. Faytene is happy today as she can get more friends to run.
David Amos
Reply to claude bourgeois
So you say
William Peters
Reply to claude bourgeois
Yup, that's about it. It's a party that, if it could, would be run out of the Irving headquarters. It uses a front of divisive social issues to give it popular appeal. It's basically to old COR guard. It was interesting to see Austin tell his base that they can't forever be bailed out of floods. Capitalism is clashing with their messaging to their base. Hopefully the electors see through it. Social issues don't
really matter to these individuals. They take pride in being penny pinchers in the domain of spending for services above all. Conservative really means "get your hands off my money" to this fiscal conservatives. You should want less. It would mean more for their friends.
Samual Johnston
Reply to claude bourgeois
nice when someone paints 40+ % of the population with the same brush - maybe people are being pushed further right because of the antics of the extreme left ?
David Amos
Reply to Samual Johnston
You may be right
claude bourgeois
Reply to David Amos
He may also be wrong.
Reply to Bobby Richards
Reply to Bobby Richards
Reply to Mike Barkman
Reply to Mike Barkman
Reply to Mike Barkman
Quitting politics is now "opt against."
Quite the spin there JP.
I don't think you even believe yourself at this point.
Reply to Terry Bull
We may find out just what Mr. Allain is
planning for his future.
Reply to Dianne MacPherson
Al Clark
David Amos
Reply to Al Clark
He sends out emails fairly often
Bobby Richards
I suppose if one can regularly make pronouncements about their myraid vaccine conspiracy theories without prefacing them with "I think", what's good for the goose is.......
Bobby Richards
Higgs is sinking his own ship by refusing to work with anyone. Politicians are supposed to serve but the premier only serves himself. The PC party needs to wake up and get a new leader.
David Amos
Perhaps you should recall what Higgy was saying before Jenni and her buddy Mr Outhouse flew into Fat Fred City last year
Bobby Richards.
Reply to David Amos
Jenni didn't stay long before heading back to Ontario
David Amos
Do ya think she danced with the Drag Queens in St Andrews with her Herle Burly buddies be she returned to he pal Pierre
Marcel Belanger
If this continues it does not bode well for Higgs et al.
David Amos
Reply to Marcel Belanger
I disagree
Marcel Belanger
Reply to David Amos
And that’s your prerogative.
valmond landry
i predict a minority government next election, whow!
David Amos
Reply to valmond landry
Not I
Bobby Richards
Reply to David Amos
Bobby Richards
Reply to David Amos
Reply to Bobby Richards
Its looking like a PC minority to me Hence Higgy will have his Hat Trick and quit then wait to become a Senator or Ambassador or whatever
Jay Miller
Many are leaving the sinking ship! The Captain lost control!
David Amos
Reply to Jay Miller
Higgy and Outhouse are still very much in control
Kyle Woodman
Not looking good for the PC's in Moncton.
David Amos
Reply to Kyle Woodman
Welcome back to the circus
Dan Lee
any chance they will all quit?
David Amos
Reply to Dan Lee
Nope
Looks like Higgs wouldn’t sign any nomination papers for those who broke ranks.
Marc LeBlanc
Reply to Le Wier
Bullseye
Le Wier
Reply to Marc LeBlanc
What I gathered from Jeff Carr talking about it in his popular tv show The Carr Brothers Higgs wouldn’t even meet with him to discuss the subject of him offering for reelection.
David Amos
Reply to Le Wier
The Carr boys have a plan
Le Wier
Reply to David Amos
I hope their plan b is better than their plan a
David Amos
Reply to Le Wier
I don't
Le Wier
Reply to David Amos
Agree
David Amos
Reply to Marc LeBlanc
True
Reply to Kyle Woodman
Alison Jackson
But at least we will have the person who speaks in tongues for Hampton running for the Almighty...
David Amos
Reply to Alison Jackson
Amen
valmond landry
good news This Morning who is next in line ?
Kyle Woodman
Reply to valmond landry
Andrea Anderson Mason.
David Amos
Reply to Kyle Woodman
I concur
marc lapointe
Reply to David Amos
Bleu ou rouge , tu nous as toujours bien représenté.
Rares sont les politiciens,comme toi, qui ont le courage de leur convictions.
On est fier de toi !
David Amos
Reply to marc lapointe
Vous plaisantez sûrement
Did they even ask? My personal comments
Don Corey<flyrod4908@outlook.com> | Thu, Feb 29, 2024 at 10:29 AM | ||||||||||||
| To: Steve Outhouse <info@pcnb.ca>, "blaine.higgs" <blaine.higgs@gnb.ca> | |||||||||||||
Good morning Mr. Outhouse,
I’ve been a long time supporter of the PC party (provincial and federal), and more recently an actual member of both (so my political leanings are obvious). Regardless, enough is enough and there are a few things that I need to say (for what it may or may not be worth).
For starters, and from my perspective, Mr. Higgs has effectively thrown all retired seniors under the bus. I’m used to that with the Trudeau government, but had expected actual honesty when Higgs initially announced the $300. I should have known better, and from what I’m reading, hearing in the news and from everyone I talk to, I’m not alone.
As a retired senior, like most others I pay my fair share of federal and provincial income tax. I own my own home and also a cottage, so pay full property tax on my home and still almost double on my camp. I drive 20,000 km or so a year, so get to pay lots in provincial fuel taxes as well as Trudeau’s carbon tax and the still unexplainable Higgs’ fuel tax (he really should scrap it!!). I’m like everyone else as far as most expenses (yes, seniors still move around, and buy groceries and shop at Walmart and Canadian Tire, and even visit NB Liquor). Higgs has since stated that seniors have already been helped out....well, whatever “help” that he may be referring to didn’t come close to me, or most other seniors. Yes, I can get by without the money, but there are literally many thousands of seniors who could sure use it!!
I’ve procrastinated on making a PC contribution for this year. It won’t be a bother anymore, as I’m throwing the two recently received letters (Mr. Higgs/year end message and Doug William/January letter looking for donations) away. I will however remain a party member.
Although I haven’t agreed with several of the many “media issues” that Mr. Higgs has been the centre of over the past year, I have generally remained a “somewhat” strong supporter of the Premier (check some of the many anti-Higgs CBC articles and you’ll see for yourself).
Anyway, I’ve finally had my fill of Mr. Higgs. Here are a few reasons why, and also a few relevant suggestions:
In closing, I’d also like to add that this party under Mr. Higgs is moving way too far to the right for my liking (and I don’t think I’m the only one with that take on things). There no longer exists a party that represents the average right of centre leaning/typically Conservative voter who also believes in good fiscal management, but also in the importance of showing some degree of “progressiveness” on issues that count to taxpayers.
I also feel that the long-time favouritism that both Liberal and PC governments have extended to the Irving empire has gone way too far under this government. I realize that they are the major employer in the province, but there has to be a limit on their “special treatment”. Personally, I’d just put an end to it. Let the market prevail....that’s how they’re supposed to operate.
I’ll definitely remain a member of the provincial PC party; absolutely! And I sure look forward to having my say in who will be the next leader (an event that I expect will happen within a year or less, depending on when the election is called). In the meantime, Mr. Higgs’ election appeal will be proven, I believe, to be a hell of a lot lower than he is expecting. The PC party would have been much better off had Higgs resigned last spring or summer, but it’s too late (sadly) for that now.
Best regards,
Don Corey Campbellton, NB
506-790-4291 (feel free to call)
Sent from my iPhone
| |||||||||||||
The Liberals announce only 21 candidates are ready to run in the next election yet with more bad news every day Higgy could have the writ dropped anytime N'esy Pas Mikey?
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Wed, Feb 7, 2024 at 12:02 AM |
| To: "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca, "Gary.Crossman" <Gary.Crossman@gnb.ca>, jJeff.Carr@gnb.ca, "kris.austin" <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, "bruce.fitch" <bruce.fitch@gnb.ca>, "Arlene.Dunn" <Arlene.Dunn@gnb.ca>, "andrea.anderson-mason" <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, "Trevor.Holder" <Trevor.Holder@gnb.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, "Greg.Turner" <Greg.Turner@gnb.ca>, Natalie.Lombard@bellmedia.ca, jp.lewis@unb.ca, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, "Jacques.Poitras" <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca> | |
| Cc: david.hickey@saintjohn.ca, j.luke.randall@gmail.com, Tanya.Whitney@nbliberal.ca, Claire.Johnson@nbliberal.ca | |
---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Blaine Higgs Leadership Team <info@rebelnews.com> Date: Tue, 06 Feb 2024 22:31:21 +0000 (UTC) Subject: Rebel News Sponsor | New Brunswick Leftists Attack Rebel News! To: David Amos <David.Raymond.Amos333@gmail. <http://www.helphiggswin.ca/ <http://www.helphiggswin.ca/ Recently, New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs sat down with Rebel News reporter Adam Soos. Adam questioned the Premier on topics ranging from parental rights to pipelines to Justin Trudeau’s impact on national unity. All reasonable topics that matter to New Brunswickers and all Canadians. Premier Higgs was willing to sit down with an independent journalist, and not solely the mainstream media. But according to leftists in New Brunswick… well, sitting down with Rebel News was a grave sin. <http://www.helphiggswin.ca/ Twitter to express their outrage. They referred to Rebel News as “the lunatic fringe network” and, bizarrely, made a reference to Premier Higgs as “The Father of Deception”. According to these Leftists, speaking with Rebel News was taking the PC Party of New Brunswick “lower and lower,” and was alt-right, extreme right, too American, etc. Choose your favourite leftist talking point and it was used to attack Premier Higgs. It sounds to me like there’s one lunatic fringe, and it’s the activists who want New Brunswickers to only get their news from mainstream media outlets that receive Trudeau’s media subsidy! It suits their agenda, and ensures New Brunswickers don’t hear alternative views on important topics. I hope the media subsidy will be stopped after the next federal election. But before that happens, Premier Higgs has an election to win in New Brunswick. If you want to re-elect a leader who’s not afraid to stand up to extremist, woke activists and believes that independent media are legitimate organizations, you can help Premier Higgs TODAY. Elections New Brunswick rules allow for donations from all across the country. You don’t need to donate today, but click here <http://www.helphiggswin.ca/ you a reminder to donate when the election starts. If everyone reading this pledged $18, Premier Higgs would have the resources he needs to communicate directly with voters, instead of relying on the mainstream media to get the word out. Click here <http://www.helphiggswin.ca/ $36, $72, or $180 today! Sincerely, Steve Outhouse The Blaine Higgs Leadership Team P.S. You can watch Premier Higgs' interview with Adam Soos right here <https://www.rebelnews.com/ — what did you think of his answers? <http://www.helphiggswin.ca/ <https://www.rebelnews.com/ <https://www.facebook.com/ <http://twitter.com/ <https://www.instagram.com/ <http://www.rebelnews.com/> PO Box 61056, Eglinton/Dufferin RO, Toronto, ON M6E 5B2, Canada | |
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Sat, Feb 3, 2024 at 2:42 PM |
| To: "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca, "Gary.Crossman" <Gary.Crossman@gnb.ca>, Jeff.Carr@gnb.ca, "kris.austin" <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, "bruce.fitch" <bruce.fitch@gnb.ca>, "Arlene.Dunn" <Arlene.Dunn@gnb.ca>, "andrea.anderson-mason" <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, "Trevor.Holder" <Trevor.Holder@gnb.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca>, "Greg.Turner" <Greg.Turner@gnb.ca>, Natalie.Lombard@bellmedia.ca, jp.lewis@unb.ca, "rob.moore" <rob.moore@parl.gc.ca>, "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, "Jacques.Poitras" <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca> | |
| Cc: david.hickey@saintjohn.ca, j.luke.randall@gmail.com, Tanya.Whitney@nbliberal.ca, Claire.Johnson@nbliberal.ca | |
https://atlantic.ctvnews.ca/ N.B. premier announces changes to cabinet after two ministers announce plans to leave Now Playing New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs revealed changes to his cabinet Friday morning after two ministers announced they are leaving. 02:35 Two N.B. cabinet ministers leaving positions Up next New Brunswick cabinet ministers Arlene Dunn and Mike Holland announced they’re leaving the legislature on Friday. 01:10 N.B. cabinet ministers moving on Natalie Lombard CTVNewsAtlantic.ca Digital Coordinator Published Feb. 2, 2024 11:22 a.m. AST New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs(opens in a new tab) revealed changes to his cabinet Friday morning after two ministers announced they are leaving. Mike Holland(opens in a new tab), New Brunswick’s minister of natural resources and energy development, said in a statement earlier in the morning he will not run again in the next provincial election. Holland said it was a difficult decision and he is “proud of the achievements made under Premier Higgs” and the Progressive Conservative Party(opens in a new tab). “I know with certainty that this work leaves my constituency and our province in better shape than when I was first elected,” he said the statement. RELATED STORIES Higgs promises new, one-time affordability benefit for low-income New Brunswickers in state of the province speech Election speculation cost New Brunswick nearly $2 million: chief electoral officer N.B. premier criticized for province-hopping bid to raise campaign cash Holland said he will continue to serve both in cabinet and as MLA for the electoral district of Albert until after the next election. In an email statement, Aboriginal Affairs Minister Arlene Dunn(opens in a new tab) said she is immediately stepping away from cabinet and resigning from her seat as MLA for Saint John Harbour. “After much consideration and discussion with my family, I have decided not to reoffer in the upcoming 2024 provincial election,” said Dunn. “Serving the people of New Brunswick and representing the wonderful people in my riding of Saint John Harbour has been a true privilege and honour of a lifetime.” Dunn has served as minister of several portfolios, including post secondary education training and labour, immigration, opportunities New Brunswick, economic development and small business. “I hate to see them both go obviously, to be very frank, but everyone has to make a personal choice,” said Higgs. Cabinet changes As of Friday, Holland will serve as minister of Aboriginal affairs in addition to serving as natural resources and energy development minster. Additionally, Higgs says Greg Turner will serve as minister of post-secondary education, training and labour as well as the minister responsible for immigration. Turner will still serve as minister responsible for Opportunities New Brunswick and minister responsible for economic development and small business. “These ministers will begin acting in their new role immediately. Their additional responsibilities will be formalized next week,” Higgs said during a Friday news conference. “I want to thank ministers Holland and Turner for taking on these added responsibilities in service to the people of this province.” Sherry Wilson seeks nomination Cabinet minister and Moncton Southwest MLA Sherry Wilson said in a Friday afternoon statement she will seek the Progressive Conservative nomination in the new Albert-Riverview riding. “The Honourable Mike Holland has served the people of this area with pride and distinction. I’m proud to add my voice to those who are thanking Mike and wishing him the very best with the future,” she said. Spring election? It’s the second major cabinet change for the premier since last summer when ministers stepped down over leadership concerns. Given this is an election year, the moves over the last day came as a surprise for political professor J.P. Lewis. “At the federal level we see, not necessarily ministers heading for the doors, but we see back bench MPs saying they aren’t going to reoffer. It speaks to something when this is going on when an election is coming up and they have a good chance of holding onto power,” said Lewis. As of now, the premier says he has no plans of a spring election. “Could it come early? Yes it could, but right now we are focused on the initiatives pointed out in the state of the province, not focused on an early election,” said Higgs. https://www.cbc.ca/news/ Top Saint John minister quitting Higgs cabinet, legislature seatArlene Dunn’s announcement comes hours after minister Mike Holland said he won't run againA top minister in Premier Blaine Higgs's government says she is resigning from cabinet immediately and will also quit as a member of the legislature "in the near term." Arlene Dunn says she made the decision "after much consideration and discussion with my family" but did not provide any reasons in a statement released Friday morning. She said she made the decision "with mixed emotions. … Serving the people of New Brunswick and representing the wonderful people in my riding of Saint John Harbour has been a true privilege and honour of a lifetime." Dunn told CBC News she would not be granting interviews about her resignation.
"Different people look at the political life and it certainly doesn't work for many," Higgs told reporters Friday morning. "Politics turned out to not be for her." The premier is not required to call a byelection to fill a vacant seat in the 12 months before a scheduled general election. Dunn's riding is considered a key battleground in the provincial election scheduled for this fall. WATCH | 'She tried her hand at politics':  Arlene Dunn’s announcement came hours after minister Mike Holland said he won’t run again. The Liberals have nominated Saint John city councillor David Hickey to run there while the Greens have chosen Mariah Darling, an activist and education co-ordinator with a local LGBTQ organization. They both said Friday that Dunn's departure was another sign of the Progressive Conservative Party veering further to the right. "This is another example of more progressive members — whether it be cabinet, or progressive elements of the party — starting to erode and change," Hickey said. Darling said Dunn's resignation "shows some cracks in the Conservative party right now" and called it "a real sign that people in Saint John Harbour need new leadership and don't need to look to a party that can't keep their own members currently."
Dunn was seen as a star candidate when she was elected in 2020 and was handed several cabinet responsibilities including economic development, immigration and Indigenous affairs. She took on post-secondary education, training and labour in June 2023 after Higgs shuffled his cabinet in the wake of a revolt over his changes to the education department's Policy 713 on sexual orientation and gender identity. Dunn opposed the changes but was not in the legislature the day six other Progressive Conservative MLAs voted against the government on the issue. "I didn't think we should have touched that. I think we should have stayed away from it," she said of Policy 713 the day of the shuffle, but beyond that, "I do have confidence in the leadership of the premier."
Higgs said at the time the fact she was not there for the vote was why he kept her as a minister after dumping two of the others who broke ranks. He told reporters Friday that he expected his internal critics to put Dunn's departure "in a negative light" but said, "I don't think that we should read anything more or less into the fact that it's an opportunity for others to get involved in politics." Dunn's announcement came just hours after Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland announced he'll be leaving politics when the provincial election is called this year. John Williston, a regional vice-president of the PC party who supported a push to remove Higgs as leader last year, said the two departures are a sign of "poor management and poor leadership in the PC party" that rests with Higgs.
"It just begs the question that we've been asking for months: why do people keep leaving? Why are our best and brightest people in our party either sitting on the backbenches or making a break for the door?" Williston said. He said there was no mechanism to remove Higgs at this point, but said he hoped the premier might still step down before the election. "This is just further evidence of the fact that people are obviously choosing to explore other options … and the common denominator I think is that people find it impossible to work with the premier." Holland, however, said he was leaving because he's accomplished everything that was on his to-do list when he became minister in 2018 and it's time to pass the baton.
He added that his decision was "not whatsoever" influenced by divisions in the PC caucus and cabinet over Premier Blaine Higgs's handling of Policy 713. Holland said he wouldn't have been able to accomplish initiatives such as the doubling of protected areas on Crown lands without Higgs's support. "I know that as I walked through the work that I did, I had the support that I needed. There were times that Blaine Higgs and I might not have agreed on something, but we found mutually agreeable paths where we could continue to make progress." Elected politics "is meant to be, you come in, you do your work and you pass it on," Holland said. "When I looked at the work that I've done, I feel like it's a comprehensive body of work we can stand on … and I feel I can sit back and say 'job well done' and then move on."
The Progressive Conservative party has scheduled a candidate nominating meeting in the Albert-Riverview riding for Feb. 14. The riding on the new electoral map is a redrawn version of Holland's current Albert riding. Holland, first elected in 2018 and re-elected in 2020, said his decision was also driven by the fact that his partner lives in Nova Scotia. "It's been challenging to be able to make sure that we invest in each other to the degree that we need to," he said. Economic Development Minister Greg Turner will take on Dunn's responsibilities for post-secondary education, labour, training and immigration, while Holland will absorb her Indigenous Affairs portfolio. Higgs is facing the loss of other ministers when he calls the election this year. Environment Minister Gary Crossman said in October he will retire when Higgs calls the election, and Health Minister Bruce Fitch also hinted last fall that he will not run again. "There'll be an announcement on that in the not-too-distant future," he said this week. ABOUT THE AUTHOR ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail. Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:38:02 -0400 Subject: Fwd: RE Liberal MP Ken McDonald wants leadership review, says there’s ‘hatred’ for Trudeau in Atlantic Canada To: patty.borthwick@nbliberal.ca ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Dave Gouthro <dave.gouthro@nbliberal.ca> Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2024 11:26:21 -0400 Subject: Re: RE Liberal MP Ken McDonald wants leadership review, says there’s ‘hatred’ for Trudeau in Atlantic Canada To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail. David thank you for sharing I was not aware of this in the news feed - a very interesting watch. I do wish the federal Liberals luck in their next election but to be clear I am running as a Liberal in the New Brunswick provincial election. I would define myself as someone who is centre-right - I am not a Trudeau Liberal I am an Albert County New Brunswick Liberal. If you see this story build in the news media feel free to continue to share with me it seems like a situation that may evolve! Have a great day! Dave On Thu, Jan 25, 2024 at 11:00 AM David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail. wrote: > https://www.facebook.com/ > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail. > Date: Thu, 25 Jan 2024 10:14:55 -0400 > Subject: RE Liberal MP Ken McDonald wants leadership review, says > there’s ‘hatred’ for Trudeau in Atlantic Canada > To: Ken.McDonald@parl.gc.ca > > https://www.youtube.com/watch? > > Liberal MP says Trudeau should face leadership review | Power & Politics > CBC News > 3.44M subscribers > 17,728 views Jan 24, 2024 > Liberal MP Ken McDonald says he thinks it's time for his party to > consider a leadership review of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The > Newfoundland MP stopped short of saying Trudeau should step down but > did say he would like to see some sort of review organized within the > party. The Power Panel weighs in on McDonald's comments. > > > 380 Comments > > @davidamos7114 > Hmmmm > > > https://www.cbc.ca/player/ > > Liberal MP Ken McDonald wants leadership review, says there’s ‘hatred’ > for Trudeau in Atlantic Canada > > 16 hours agoNewsDuration 3:34 > > While he stopped short of saying the prime minister should step down, > Liberal MP Ken McDonald — who represents the Avalon riding — tells > Radio-Canada’s Laurence Martin a change is needed and he anticipates > the Conservatives making major inroads in the Atlantic provinces. > McDonald has been on the outs with his Liberal party before, voting > with the Conservatives on a motion to abolish carbon pricing. > > > ---------- Forwarded message ---------- > From: "McDonald, Ken - M.P." <Ken.McDonald@parl.gc.ca> > Date: Mon, 9 Oct 2023 03:41:26 +0000 > Subject: Automatic reply: In 2004 I wished Broadbent good luck as I > ran against him and his cohorts. However it did not take long for me > to discover my respect for him was misplaced. > To: David Amos <david.raymond.amos333@gmail. > > > > Thank you for reaching out to my office, your correspondence is very > important to me. > > > > Your email has now been placed in queue for review and either myself, > or one of my staff, will make every effort to respond to your inquiry > as soon as possible. > > > > Please keep in mind many inquiries we receive require a significant > level of attention and/or research, and as such, I kindly ask for your > patience while we process your request and/or gather information for > you. > > > > If your inquiry is of an urgent or time-sensitive matter, I encourage > you to call my Constituency Office at 709-834-3424 or Toll Free at > 1-866-883-3424. > > > > Once again, thank you for contacting my office. > > > > Please keep in touch. > > > > Ken McDonald > Member of Parliament for Avalon > > Ken.McDonald@parl.gc.ca< > > 120 Conception Bay Highway, Suite 105 > Conception Bay South, NL A1W 3A6 > t: 709-834-3424 | f: 709-834-3628 > > Toll Free: 1-866-883-3424 > https://nbliberal.ca/2024/02/ NB Liberals announce 21 candidates ready to run in the next election February 2, 2024 FREDERICTON (February 2nd) – Today, the New Brunswick Liberals announced that there are currently 21 nominated candidates ready to run in the 2024 election. Six recently nominated candidates join the 15 incumbent MLAs to form the Liberal team ready to bring their vision to New Brunswickers. Susan Holt, Leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party will host her nomination in Fredericton South-Silverwood in the coming months. “We are feeling the momentum,” says Holt. “This incredible group of New Brunswickers spent their lives working to make our province even better and I’m honoured to have them next to me as we head into an election. It really feels like New Brunswickers are ready for change. They are ready for a government that brings them hope, one they can trust to have their backs.” The incumbent candidates, appointed last Fall when Premier Higgs was threatening to call an election, are all sitting Members of the Legislature who have been proudly serving their communities across the province for several years. The party has also nominated six new candidates – David Hickey, Patty Borthwick, Dave Gouthro, Claire Johnson, Luke Randall, and Tanya Whitney – who will also be working hard to earn the trust of the people in their ridings when New Brunswickers head to the polls. “The support and excitement we’re feeling as we nominate candidates across the province is incredible,” says NB Liberal Association Executive Director Hannah Fulton Johnston. “We’re seeing great crowds at our events, bringing in lots of donations, members are engaged, and we are hearing from New Brunswickers everyday that they are ready for new leadership.” The NB Liberal Association will continue to hold nominating conventions to add more candidates to the team over the coming months. See the attached Appendix for a full list of current candidates. A complete list of Liberal candidates nominated for the 2024 election as of February 1, 2024. Benoît Bourque, Beausoleil-Grand Bouctouche-Kent Chuck Chiasson, Grand Falls-Vallée-des-Rivières- Claire Johnson, Moncton South Dave Gauthro, Albert-Riverview David Hickey, Saint John Harbour Éric Mallet, Shippagan-Les-Iles Francine Landry, Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston Gilles LePage, Restigouche West Guy Arsenault, Restigouche East Isabelle Thériault, Caraquet Jacques LeBlanc, Shediac-Cap-Acadie Jean-Claude D’Amours, Edmundston-Vallée-des-Rivières Keith Chiasson, Tracadie Luke Randall, Fredericton North Marco LeBlanc, Belle-Baie-Belledune Patty Borthwick, Fundy-The Isles-Saint John Lorneville René Legacy, Bathurst Richard Losier, Dieppe-Memramcook Rob McKee, Moncton Centre Robert Gauvin, Shediac Bay-Dieppe Tanya Whitney, Fredericton York The following four nominations to take place in the coming weeks: February 20 – Saint John East February 22 – Moncton East February 28 – Carleton York March 23 – Miramichi Bay-Neguac | |
Arlene
Dunn can be seen here arriving at government house for a cabinet
shuffle where she took on the post-secondary education, training and
labour portfolio. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
Liberal
candidate and Saint John city councillor David Hickey said Friday's
announcements were another example of more progressive moments 'starting
to erode and change.' (Submitted by David Hickey)
Green
candidate and education co-ordinator Mariah Darling said Dunn's
resignation 'shows some cracks in the Conservative party right now.' (Graham Thompson/CBC News )
Energy
Minister Mike Holland says he'll be bowing out of politics this coming
election. In the meantime, he'll absorb Dunn's Indigenous Affairs
portfolio. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
John
Williston, a regional vice-president of the PC party who supported a
push to remove Higgs as leader last year, said the two departures are a
sign of 'poor management and poor leadership in the PC party' that rests
with Higgs. (Submitted by John Williston)
Economic
Development Minister Greg Turner will take on Dunn’s responsibilities
for post-secondary education, labour, training and immigration. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)Regional Directors
ACADIE-BATHURST (Restigouche-Chaleur, Bathurst
West-Beresford, Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore, Caraquet,
Shippagan-Lamèque-Miscou, Tracadie-Sheila)
Claude Comeau
BEAUSÉJOUR (Kent North, Kent South, Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé, Memramcook-Tantramar)
Marc-André Robichaud
FREDERICTON (Oromocto-Lincoln-Fredericton, Fredericton-Grand Lake, New
Maryland-Sunbury, Fredericton South, Fredericton North,
Fredericton-York, Fredericton West-Hanwell)
(Vacant)
FUNDY-ROYAL (Albert, Gagetown-Petitcodiac, Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins, Hampton, Quispamsis)
Carley Parish
MADAWASKA-RESTIGOUCHE (Restigouche West, Campbellton-Dalhousie, Edmundston-Madawaska Centre, Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston)
Janice Savoie
MIRAMICHI-GRAND LAKE (Miramichi Bay-Neguac, Miramichi, Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin)
Bill Sargent
MONCTON-RIVERVIEW-DIEPPE (Dieppe, Moncton East, Moncton Centre, Moncton South, Moncton Northwest, Moncton Southwest, Riverview)
Jean-Valmond LeBlanc
NEW BRUNSWICK SOUTHWEST (Kings Centre, Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West, Saint Croix)
Tony Mann
SAINT JOHN-ROTHESAY (Rothesay, Saint John East, Portland-Simonds, Saint John Harbour, Saint John Lancaster)
Maghnus Ryan
TOBIQUE–MACTAQUAC (Carleton-York, Carleton, Carleton-Victoria, Victoria-La Vallée)
(Vacant)
https://twitter.com/MaghnusRyan
Maghnus Ryan - Constituency assistant to MP Wayne Long
Riding Presidents
Restigouche West
Michel Soucy
Restigouche East
Justin D’Entremont
Belle-Baie-Belledune
Stephane LeBlanc
Bathurst
Rickey Hondas
Hautes-Terres-Nepisiguit
Sani Diallo
Caraquet
Judy Begley
Shippagan-Les-Îles
Odette Robichaud
Tracadie
Linus Robichaud
Miramichi Bay-Neguac
VACANT
Miramichi East
Sheree Allison
Miramichi West
Manley Price
Kent North
Bertrand Leblanc
Beausoleil-Grand-Bouctouche-Kent
Aurella Landry
Shediac Bay-Dieppe
Francis Leblanc
Shediac-Cap-Acadie
Bernard Gautreau
Tantramar
John Higham (acting)
Dieppe-Memramcook
Tristian Gaudet
Moncton East
Raymond Bourque
Moncton Centre
Lillian Surette
Moncton South
Julie Robichuad
Moncton Northwest
Ron Levasseur
Champdoré-Irishtown
Jean-Valmond LeBlanc
Riverview
VACANT
Albert-Riverview
Catherine Black
Arcadia-Butternut Valley-Maple Hills
Peter Knight
Sussex-Three Rivers
Sheri Shannon
Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins
John Herron
Quispamsis
Roly MacIntyre
Rothesay
Blair MacDonald
Saint John East
Bob Bonner
Saint John Portland-Simonds
Steven Robar
Saint John Harbour
Jim McLaughlin
Saint John West-Lancaster
Paul Hayes
Kings Centre
Kelly Thompson
Fundy-The Isles-Saint John Lorneville
Alexa Detorakis
Saint Croix
Julian Riva
Oromocto-Sunbury
Marty Forsythe
Fredericton-Grand Lake
Eldon Hunter
Fredericton Lincoln
Mary Mesheau
Fredericton South-Silverwood
Lindsay Bowman
Fredericton North
Eldon Toner
Fredericton-York
Bob Agnew
Hanwell-New Maryland
Shane Walsh
Carleton-York
Chris Duffie
Woodstock-Hartland
Christy Culberson
Carleton-Victoria
Andrew Harvey
Grand Falls-Saint-Quentin
Jean Sébastien Roy
Edmundston-Vallée-des-Rivières
Hélène Thériault
Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston
Réal Gervais
https://nbliberal.ca/2024/02/nb-liberals-nominate-chris-duffie-in-carleton-york/
NB Liberals nominate Chris Duffie in Carleton-York
February 28 (Nackawic) – Liberals gathered in the riding of Carleton-York this evening to nominate Chris Duffie as their candidate for the next provincial election.
As the event began, Leader of the Liberal Party of New Brunswick Susan Holt said “Chris brings exceptional energy and love for his community to the table. We need to get out there and show people that they have a reason to hope again, and it’s with people on the team like Chris Duffie that we will convey that message.”
Carleton-York is the ninth riding where the Liberal Party is holding a nominating convention leading up to the next election. Over the past 30 years, Chris Duffie has built his company, Terra Consultants, into a thriving information technology business. He owned and operated the Halifax Mac Store, becoming one of the largest Apple dealers in Atlantic Canada. Chris and his wife Amanda have been married for 30 years and have two adult children. He is an avid snowmobiler, a dedicated community volunteer and enjoys attending and supporting organizations all across the riding.
Following the win, Duffie said “I am passionate about ensuring that rural New Brunswick is not forgotten as it has been over the last several years. We need to ensure that rural schools have funded breakfast programs, that business owners have reliable internet access, and we need to work with our rural communities to support and grow economic opportunities.” He added “I am beyond thrilled to be joining this strong team, and look forward to doing my part to ensure a Liberal victory in Carleton York, and electing Susan Holt as Premier.”
In closing the event, surrounded by local supporters and accompanied by Liberal candidates for Fredericton North and Fredericton York, Luke Randall and Tanya Whitney, Holt said, “We continue to add to our dynamic team. We have the momentum, and now with Chris Duffie on the team, we will earn the trust and support of voters in Carleton York.”
https://nbliberal.ca/2024/02/nb-liberals-nominate-david-alston-in-saint-john-east/
NB Liberals nominate David Alston in Saint John East
FEBRUARY 20, 2024 (Saint John) – Liberals gathered in the riding of Saint John East this evening to officially nominate a candidate for the next provincial election.
“We are laser focussed on the year ahead and continue to build a team of hard working New Brunswickers who are dedicated to solving the challenges we’re facing in our province,” said Liberal Leader Susan Holt. “David Alston exemplifies the kind of experienced, community-minded leaders we need to form a Holt-led Liberal government in 2024.”
Saint John East is the seventh riding where the Liberal Party is holding a nominating convention leading up to the next election. David Alston has always been committed to building a better Saint John. He has focused on ending generational poverty in Saint John as past co-chair of LivingSJ, serving on the Board of Directors of the regional United Way, and volunteering with the Business Community Anti-Poverty Initiative. He has also lent a hand in driving growth in the city, having recently concluded his terms as an independent director on the board of DiscoverSJ, Envision Saint John: The Regional Growth Agency as well as the Vice Chair on the board of Saint John Energy.
When addressing the crowd, David said “I will work with the constituents of Saint John East to advance the priorities of the riding and put government to work in innovative ways that address the challenges we collectively face, particularly regarding health care, affordability and housing. We need to have tangible solutions to the complex problems we are facing,” said Alston. “Taking steps such as creating more team-based community health centers, removing the provincial tax on electricity bills and allocating resources for more renovations and building of social housing are concrete steps we can take to relieve the pressure New Brunswickers face every day.”
The Liberal Party of New Brunswick will continue to hold nominating conventions to name candidates in the coming weeks.
Holt noted that she is excited to welcome David to the Liberal team. “I’m thrilled to have David join our dynamic team of candidates and incumbents. His community involvement, business and entrepreneurial background and deep roots in the community will serve the people of Saint John East, and New Brunswickers very well.”
David Alston
Repeat tech and marketing startup entrepreneur. Community Volunteer with LivingSJ, BCAPI and other non-profit movements. Digital society advocate. Former volunteer Entrepreneur in Residence for the Province of New Brunswick Government. Cofounder of Brilliant Labs. Forbes top 50 CMO in social media. KIRA Award's Industry Champion for 2015. Co-winner of a 2014 EY Emerging Entrepreneur of the Year Award for Atlantic Canada. 2015 winner of Entrepreneur of the Year and co-winner of Enterprise Promotion for the Atlantic Region from Startup Canada. Recipient of the Greater Saint John Community Foundation’s 2018 Community Service Award. Radian6's former CMO and Salesforce.com's former Marketing Cloud Chief Adoption Officer. Past co-chair of LivingSJ, a movement to support and create a path for all those living in poverty in his home city. Co-Owner of TimberTop Adventures, the number one ranked aerial adventure park in Canada on TripAdvisor and a 2021 Finalist for a Canadian Tourism Award for Business Excellence. Co-Owner of Climb 1884, New Brunswick’s first and largest indoor ropes rock climbing gym being constructed inside a 138 year old church in Saint John.
David Alston likes to use analogies to boil down the complicated into digestible stories. One such analogy you may often hear him using is related to waves and surfboards whenever he’s describing how he sees the modern world of B2B marketing. He likes to tell it with great enthusiasm and passion, often with his hands flying off in all directions to punctuate. It’s best to experience it in person, so we will have to keep you in suspense. But at least you have insight into the theme, in case you were wondering.
David is also very passionate about creating a world where everyone can reach their full potential. Watch his TEDx keynote where he encourages those out there who are ‘Willing for Change.’ There are lots of hands flying in lots of directions for punctuation here as well. You have been warned.
Contact us.
info@marketswell.ca
(506) 444-1905
NB Liberals nominate Alexandre Cédric Doucet in Moncton East
February 22 (Moncton) – Liberals gathered in the riding of Moncton East this evening to nominate Alexandre Cédric Doucet as their candidate for the next provincial election.
As the event began, Leader of the Liberal Party Susan Holt said “If there is one thing we know it is that we cannot keep going in the direction we are going. It is going to take a team to turn this province around, not one person. That is why I am excited to have Alexandre’s voice to represent Moncton East.”
Moncton East is the eighth riding where the Liberal Party is holding a nominating convention leading up to the next election. Alexandre Cédric Doucet is a lawyer by trade and past president of La Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick. He is passionate about ensuring we get New Brunswick back on track, specifically in addressing the key challenges we’re facing on housing, cost of living, and supporting seniors.
Following the win, Doucet said “Being a Liberal means ensuring all New Brunswickers have equal opportunity and access to succeed, regardless of age, heritage, language or sexual orientation.”
In closing the event, surrounded by a number of current Liberal MLAs and recently nominated candidates, Holt said, “New Brunswickers deserve a team of people who are supporting them from corner to corner to corner in this province. Not just one man in one office in Fredericton who makes all of the decisions. They deserve a team that works together. I am so proud to have the team that we do, and to be adding Alexandre to that group today.”
Alexandre Cédric Doucet
Intro
Yesterday at 10 AM
For having had the opportunity to collaborate on several cases with Mr. Wow, I can attest to his sincere work for the people of New Brunswick. He has served the citizens and citizens of East Moncton well. Thank you for your service.Having had the opportunity to work with Mr. Allain on a number of files, I can attest to his sincere work for the people of New Brunswick. He has served the citizens of Moncton East well. Thank you for your service.
Based in New Brunswick, Porter O’Brien is proud to offer a full suite of management consulting and communications services through our own staff and our nationwide network of trusted associates.
Alexandre Cédric Doucet
Senior Associate
Alexandre Cédric Doucet, a lawyer and former president of the Société de l'Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick (SANB), brings a wealth of expertise to any team, positioning himself as a national leader on crucial subjects such as immigration, constitutional rights, language rights, the economy, and territorial development.
Tyler Campbell
Senior Associate
New Brunswick's secret conflict regime for unelected officials
No way for public to know if non-elected officials ever in conflict, unless complaint filed in court
Deputy ministers, Crown corporation CEOs and executive assistants to ministers are required to file conflict declarations--but those documents remain confidential, unlike those filed by MLAs.
That means there's no way for the public to know if any non-elected official was ever in a conflict, unless a complaint is filed in court.
And its list of Crown corporations is also out of date, meaning the CEOs of Opportunities New Brunswick, Cannabis NB and Service New Brunswick, among others, are not subject to its requirements.
Amend law, says former integrity commissioner
Former integrity commissioner Alexandre Deschênes said in his final report before his retirement that the government should amend the law.
He said non-elected officials should be under the same regime as MLAs, who report to the commissioner.
"My view is, and I've made that view known for some time, is that system ought to be abandoned as soon as possible," he told CBC News in a recent interview.
One of Deschênes's predecessors as conflict commissioner, Patrick Ryan, repeatedly levelled the same criticism during his tenure as commissioner.
"Alex is absolutely correct," Ryan said in a brief interview. "It bugged me."
David Ferguson, a retired clerk of the executive council--the top civil service position in the province--called it "bizarre" that there is no penalty for not filing a conflict declaration.
"If you ignore it, you get away scot-free, which seems to be a real problem with the act," he said.
Province reviewing act
Government spokesperson Tyler Campbell said the province is reviewing the act and is looking at all the issues that have been raised.
"That work is currently underway," he said.
He said some of the Crown corporations not covered by the act have their own conflict policies, but the province will look at having the same rules apply to all of them.
- David Ferguson, retired clerk of the executive councilUnder the Members' Conflict of Interest Act, MLAs file annual disclosure statements to the integrity commissioner, revealing their investments, assets, business interests and loans. An abridged version is made public.
But a separate law, the Conflict of Interest Act, applies to senior non-elected officials. They file their disclosures not to the commissioner, but to a sitting judge designated by the government.
There's no requirement that their declarations become public.
Deschênes says involving a sitting judge compromises the independence of the judiciary because the judge must interact with civil servants and, in some cases, help them prepare blind trusts for investments.
"I have difficulty making it compatible with an independent judiciary," he said.
Judge mum on declarations
The current designated judge, Justice Barbara Baird of the New Brunswick Court of Appeal, did not respond to a request for information on the declarations she has reviewed.
On Jan. 28, CBC News sent Baird a list of questions on how many officials are subject to the act now, how many disclosures she has received from them, how many inquires she has conducted and how many breaches she has found and how many orders she has issued.
Ferguson wouldn't say whether the declarations should be public, but he said it's "important at some point that there's something on the record that says, 'here's a list of everyone who filed and these have been done.'
"As opposed to how it's up in the air right now: if someone doesn't file, who knows? Who doesn't know? Who follows it up? No one follows it up, apparently."
As clerk of the executive council, Ferguson said he depended on the act to deal with potential conflicts among his fellow deputy ministers.
Most deputy ministers are career civil servants with no history of business investments, Ferguson said, but there's been a trend in recent years to recruit from the private sector.
"There perhaps may be more possibilities of a conflict of interest arising because of that.
Deschênes says the designated judge system is so awkward that most judges want to avoid the role.
"I was a judge for more than 30 years and I know as a fact that there's no appetite on the part of the judiciary to perform those tasks," he said.
Judge role problematic
Two Court of Queen's Bench judges who held the position "basically resigned" because they found the legislation and the role problematic, Deschênes said.
One of them, Jean-Paul Ouellette, made his complaints public in a 2014 ruling on a ministerial assistant who violated the act by not filing a new declaration.
Jimmy Bourque, an executive assistant to a Progressive Conservative cabinet minister, was the owner of a company in a blind trust that received almost half a million dollars in government contracts.
Ouellette ruled that Bourque's failure to file a disclosure violated the act, but in his ruling he complained that no one compiles a definitive list of the deputy ministers, Crown CEOs and executive assistants subject to the act.
Ferguson agreed that there should be "administrative support" so that the designated judge always has an up-to-date list of who the act applies to.
Ouellette also complained that the act doesn't allow the designated judge to track who is not complying with the law and doesn't include any sanctions--meaning he wasn't able to punish Bourque for the violation.
"Such is the Act," the judge wrote in his ruling.
The regulation accompanying the act lists eight Crown corporations whose CEOs are subject to the law, including New Brunswick Liquor, NB Power, and the Regional Development Corporation.
Two on the list no longer exist, and 13 other Crown corporations that operate now are not listed in the regulation.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
David Amos
David Amos
Marc LeBlanc
Richard Cyr
The man is on his 3rd or 4th article about the Vets Affairs tax debacle and still hasn't mentioned anyone involved. That's extremely poor journalism.
Truth is stranger than fiction N'esy Pas?
Joseph Vacher
Forestry
Rosco holt
Mac Pitt
kelly sherrard
Rod McLeod
Wednesday 27 February 2019
New Brunswick's secret conflict regime for unelected officials
Date: Wed, 20 Mar 2019 18:16:15 +0000
Subject: You wished to speak with me
To: "motomaniac333@gmail.com" <motomaniac333@gmail.com>
I have the advantage, sir, of having read many of your emails over the years.
As such, I do not think a phone conversation between us, and
specifically one which you might mistakenly assume was in response to
your threat of legal action against me, is likely to prove a
productive use of either of our time.
If there is some specific matter about which you wish to communicate
with me, feel free to email me with the full details and it will be
given due consideration.
Sincerely,
Charles Murray
Ombud NB
Acting Integrity Commissioner
https://twitter.com/DavidRayAmos/with_replies
David Raymond Amos @DavidRayAmos
Replying to @DavidRayAmos @Kathryn98967631 and 49 others
Methinks its incredibly ironic that the former integrity commissioner Alexandre Deschênes is in a conflict of interest with me N'esy Pas?
https://davidraymondamos3.blogspot.com/2019/02/new-brunswicks-secret-conflict-regime.html
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/nb-secret-conflict-regime-1.5034474
Neil McKenna
Associate
Neil has a strong background in government affairs, and he brings a wealth of experience from past federal roles, including working in the Office of the Prime Minister. With expertise in research, strategic communications, event planning, and stakeholder engagement, Neil is well-equipped to navigate the complexities of public relations and government relations.
https://twitter.com/neilpmckenna/status/1580633019026546689
Tim Porter
Partner
Tim Porter, with over 35 years of experience in media, public relations,
and management, including a five-year term as Secretary to the Council
of Atlantic Premiers. His two-decade career in government included
overseeing communications for all departments.
With a background in senior management roles in governmental affairs,
communications and marketing, including almost a decade as deputy
minister, Tim is adept at comprehending complex issues and crafting
compelling messages for specific audiences. A seasoned writer, he has
managed various departments and agencies, showcasing his versatility in
both Fredericton and Halifax. Tim's extensive experience encompasses
journalism, media relations consulting, and effective management of
high-profile projects.
https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/n-b-official-admits-be-slogan-was-failure-1.1010341
N.B. official admits 'Be' slogan was failure
A senior New Brunswick government communications official admits the province's former "Be…in this place" slogan was a failure and cost more than three times the amount budgeted.
Tim Porter, the deputy minister of Communications New Brunswick, told the Legislature's public accounts committee on Wednesday that the idea wasn't to capture the province's geography or its scenery, but rather how New Brunswickers feel about the place.
However, the slogan never caught on, said Porter, who worked on the slogan campaign under the previous Liberal government.
"People give the government quite a bit of latitude to come up with its own slogans, but when you take that as a provincial slogan, as an identifier, as what we are as a province, it didn't get that level of acceptance," he said.
PC MLAs grilled Porter about the slogan and how much it cost for two hours.
The Graham Liberals unveiled "Be ... in this place" in 2008 and put it on licence plates in 2009.
Cost jumped
Porter said the cost of the slogan and marketing materials jumped to $840,000 from the anticipated $229,000.
The Alward government dropped the unpopular slogan in March, but continues to use the graphic design adopted by the Liberals.
"So do you think those consultants would be interested in giving us half our money back, considering we're only using half their work? I'm kidding," said PC MLA Glen Savoie.
He zeroed in on the decision to put "Be…in this place" on New Brunswick licence plates 18 months after the slogan was launched, despite the fact it wasn't embraced by the public.
"So nobody had figured out at this point that it wasn't really catching on?" he asked.
People weren't really aware of the slogan until it went on their plates, said Porter.
"It wasn't applying to people's life directly, and you know people feel quite attached to their cars, and it was noticed," he said.
Porter said the slogan remains in use in some provincial ad campaigns to avoid having to pay new consultants to come up with a new catchphrase.
New Brunswick licence plates carried the "Picture Province" tagline until 1972. Between 1972 and 2009, the licence plates had no tagline.
Jordan O'Brien
Partner
Jordan O'Brien, a founding partner of Porter O’Brien, brings a wealth of experience from both the public and private sectors. With a background in federal and provincial governments, along with roles in political and civil service, Jordan is adept at swiftly handling complex tasks.
His formal project management training from the University of New Brunswick, coupled with extensive experience, enables him to develop comprehensive strategies for achieving goals. Jordan's career highlights include serving as deputy minister and chief of staff for a former New Brunswick premier, leading the provincial government's 2014 Strategic Program Review, and negotiating pioneering multi-year funding agreements for public universities. In his role at Porter O'Brien, Jordan leads a team of consultants, ensuring tasks are executed with precision and within budget.
Gallant's chief of staff, a key player in the assessment scandal, appealed his own tax hike
Auditor General Kim MacPherson named Jordan O'Brien as one of those involved in fast-tracking new system
Premier Brian Gallant's chief of staff, Jordan O'Brien, may have been in on the origin of New Brunswick's "fast track" assessment debacle, but property records show he avoided being burned by it himself after successfully fighting a $14.42 property tax increase on his own house.
"My wife and I observed that several homes similar to ours on our street had sold and/or were listed for sale at prices lower than our assessment," O'Brien wrote in an email to CBC News to explain how he came to dispute his own tax treatment last spring.
"We accordingly completed the request for review form citing this information and submitted it."
O'Brien's challenge was eventually successful. In September, Service New Brunswick lowered the assessed value of his Fredericton home by $23,500 and cut his tax bill by $338.52, even though taxes on it had only gone up $14.42.
Several thousand New Brunswick homeowners in 12 communities were clobbered with inflated property assessments and tax bills this spring after Service New Brunswick rushed the implementation of a new digital "mass appraisal" system into place two years ahead of schedule.
The roll-out was poorly executed and a record 18,000 property owners challenged their tax bills. By the end of July, Service New Brunswick had found 4,361 inflated assessments and tax bills with 9,411 objections still to be processed.
Taxes on properties that needed to be fixed were found to be an average of $680 too high.
Mysterious figure
O'Brien is a major but still mysterious figure in the origin of that assessment and tax controversy.
Last month he was named by Auditor General Kim MacPherson as one of two men involved in discussions that led to the new system being rushed into service, although he denies being the cause.
MacPherson was unable to determine whether O'Brien or Gordon Gilman, the former CEO of Service New Brunswick, was behind the ill fated idea but did conclude it had to have started with one of them since it began immediately after the two spoke on the phone.
"It was the conversation between the chief of staff and the former CEO that led to fast track," MacPherson told a pair of Legislature committees about her findings in late November.
Emails on the public record show O'Brien knew one of the expected outcomes of rushing a new assessment system into place would be increased tax revenue from homeowners and others as it unearthed hidden property values and raised assessments accordingly.
"Let's do it," he wrote to Gilman in May 2016 after being shown projections of how taxes would climb on properties being evaluated in a new way.
Objected quickly
Still, when the new assessment system pegged his own house for a $14.42 tax hike O'Brien was quick to object.
Property values have generally been in decline in O'Brien's neighbourhood and he said a house close to his was for sale at below its assessed value when his tax bill arrived. That convinced him his assessment should be falling, not inching up.
"The house two doors down from ours has an attached garage and a paved driveway (our house has neither) and was listed for well below its assessed value," he wrote.
The house O'Brien referred to did eventually sell for $30,800 below its assessed value but few residents in the area seemed to know to take advantage of that development to protest their own bills.
O'Brien
had the assessed value of his Fredericton home lowered by $23,500 and
his tax bill cut by $338.52, even though taxes on it had only increased
$14.42. (CBC)
Only four homeowners on O'Brien's 31-house street launched and won tax reductions this year, including him, the new owners of the house that sold below its assessed value and two others.
Those included owners of one house the new assessment system hit with a $575 tax increase and another that suffered a tax hike of $232.
Seven other homes on O'Briens street hit with assessment and tax increases received no relief.
O'Brien's decision to challenge his bill effectively followed the advice of Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs, who last March urged all property owners to challenge even small increases in their tax bills.
Higgs ignores own advice
Liberal cabinet ministers ridiculed that idea as "irresponsible" and "fear mongering," and although all the publicity did contribute to a spike in objections, ultimately almost 90 per cent of New Brunswick landowners who had a property tax increase ignored Higgs's call — including Higgs.
The new assessment system upped the value of Higgs's Quispamsis home and caused his tax bill to jump $212, but he decided against challenging the amount.
"Had there been a significant change he would have, but there was not and so he did not," said Bob Fowlie, spokesperson for the office of the official opposition.
Also filing no tax challenge was Premier Gallant, although his Dieppe house sits on one of the most poorly assessed streets in the province.
Gallant's property tax bill jumped $362, one of the largest among MLAs. Thirteen of his neighbours successfully challenged their own tax hikes, including seven with smaller increases than Gallant but he, like Higgs, took no action.
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