Tuesday 18 January 2022

Melanson says no to N.B. Liberal leadership run

 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/melanson-won-t-run-for-leadership-1.6318880

 

Melanson says no to N.B. Liberal leadership run

Interim leader says he'll leave position on Aug. 6

In a written statement, Melanson acknowledged he'd been thinking of running but said he had decided against it. 

"After careful consideration and conversations with family and close friends, I have decided that I will not put my name forward in this leadership race," he said. 

In a media scrum at the legislature in December, Melanson would not rule out becoming a candidate.

Traditionally, interim party leaders commit when they're selected to not run for the permanent leadership position, but there's no rule prohibiting it.

Melanson, a former finance minister and an MLA since 2010, became interim leader after the party lost the 2020 provincial election, which saw then-leader Kevin Vickers fail to win a seat in the legislature.

The Liberals will choose a new leader Aug. 6.

There are three declared candidates for the leadership now. Former Tobique-Mactaquac MP T.J. Harvey and former MLA and cabinet minister Donald Arseneault have launched campaigns, and Saint John-area entrepreneur Seamus Byrne has told other media organizations he is running.

None of them are current MLAs. 

Melanson also said in his statement that he'll no longer be leader of the Official Opposition as of Aug. 6.

That will allow the new leader of the party, if they're not an MLA themselves, to choose a sitting, elected member for the parliamentary role. 

In the email to reporters with Melanson's statement, Liberal director of communications Ashley Beaudin said Melanson would not be granting interviews about his decision.

CBC's Journalistic Standards and Practices

 

80 Comments 
Commenting is now closed for this story.
 
 
 
David Amos
Content deactivated 
Surprise Surprise Surprise 


 
David Amos
Wow that was fast  
 
 
 
  
David Amos
My pick of the litter would be Seamus Byrne for rather obvious reasons   
 
 
Harvey York
Reply to @David Amos: my pick would be you for extraordinarily obvious reasons
 
 
Lou Bell
Reply to @David Amos: You're the " ** ahem ** " expert " ! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 
 
 
 
 
 
Buford Wilson
I hear Shaun Graham may throw his hat into the ring.
 
 
David Amos
Content deactivated
Reply to @Buford Wilson: Methinks any liberal could beat Higgy next time N'esy Pas?
 
 
David Amos
Reply to @David Amos: Higgs’ Approval Rating Continues To Slide: Poll
Saint John, NB, Canada / The Wave
Robert Lothian
Jan 18, 2022 | 7:08 AM

"New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs continues to find himself in the doghouse, at least according to the results of a recent poll.

Findings from an Angus Reid Institute survey published Monday revealed the premier’s approval rating has reached an all-time low of 34 per cent.

This drop places Higgs in the same territory as Ontario Premier Doug Ford (30 per cent) and Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (26 per cent)."
 
 
Lou Bell
Reply to @David Amos: Actually , that 34 % is higher than in the poll CBC referred to last week ! So it appears he's already rebounding !!! We knew it was gonna happen , just not how soon ! 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Lou Bell
Perhaps the AG is planning a forensic audit of where the 3 plus million was spent and to whom for their " Phonie Games " !  
 

Marcel Belanger
Reply to @Lou Bell: And perhaps the AG is planning an audit of why Higgs let the big wood products companies get away with $250 plus millions in stumpage fees that they did not have to pay while they were making record profits on our crown forest lands. Why don’t you talk about that and the $70 million gift to the pulp mills that Higgs is forcing NBPower to fork out.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

 

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