An Ugly French Arsehole speaks again today
Independent MLA Dominic Carty is asked about the elimination of CBC and Radio-Canada!!!
Charles LeblancNB - The Panel with Terry Seguin - The State of New Brunswick - September 28, 2022
Cardy resigns as N.B. education minister, sends scorching letter to premier
Higgs says he was shuffling Cardy out of cabinet, now wants him expelled from caucus
Dominic Cardy has resigned as New Brunswick's minister of education and early childhood development.
Cardy announced in a tweet that he was quitting the cabinet of Premier Blaine Higgs but would stay on as a Progressive Conservative MLA for Fredericton West-Hanwell.
In a scorching resignation letter to Higgs, Cardy slammed the premier's leadership style, saying "change requires care, not a wrecking ball" and some reforms to French second-language education "will stall because of your micromanagement."
"You cannot change deadlines on large systems based on your emotional state, without undermining the quality of the work, or the morale of your team," the letter said.
"Government is not the same as building oil tankers," Cardy wrote, apparently referring to the premier's previous career with Irving Oil.
He also accuses Higgs of "choosing to yell 'data my ass' at a senior civil servant" because he didn't like what the department's numbers showed.
Premier Blaine Higgs talks to reporters on Thursday following the sudden resignation of Dominic Cardy as education minister. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
"That was the end of your political project in my eyes: If you reject evidence because you dislike it then you don't believe in evidence," he wrote.
Cardy also said Higgs's abolition of partly elected regional health authority boards represented "a steady consolidation of power in your hands" and that he was trying to delay or undermine reconciliation between language communities and with Indigenous people.
Higgs told reporters he was "disappointed" with the letter and what he calls its "hurtful" comments.
But he confirmed he did say "data my ass" when Cardy and his department presented him with what he considered "irrelevant" numbers on French second-language education.
"Yes, I did," he said. "The numbers did not reflect any real value in information we were trying to understand: 'are we getting better?'"
He disputed that he made decisions based on emotion.
The premier said he met with Cardy Thursday morning and told him he was going to be shuffled out of cabinet because of a lack of progress in improving the education system.
Dominic Cardy's resignation letter to Blaine Higgs criticizes his leadership style and some of his decisions. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)
At that point, Cardy produced the resignation letter. The fact it was already drafted suggested it was "part of an orchestrated plan," Higgs said.
Cardy did not respond to a request for an interview.
The resignation letter said Higgs has a plan to "abolish" French immersion by September 2023, something that was recommended by an independent review of the program earlier this year.
Cardy said getting rid of the program was not in the government's election platform or throne speech and has not been approved by the PC cabinet or caucus.
Eliminating it "would place huge stress on the education system and damage the education of our province's anglophone young people," he wrote.
Higgs confirmed he intends to go ahead with that next fall.
He said given Cardy's letter, which he called "quite a laundry list" of criticisms, he will likely ask the PC caucus to expel him, which would leave him sitting as an independent MLA.
The next caucus meeting will happen soon, Higgs said.
Premier Blaine Higgs talks to reporters about the resignation of Dominic Cardy and a cabinet shuffle. (Shane Fowler/CBC)
"I won't be dragging this out. I feel like there's only one decision to make and my recommendation will be to kick him out of caucus."
Higgs made the comments after shuffling his cabinet Thursday afternoon. He appointed Carleton MLA Bill Hogan to replace Cardy as education minister.
Former People's Alliance leader Kris Austin, who moved to the PCs in March, takes over Hogan's role as public safety minister.
Jill Green becomes minister of Service New Brunswick and Housing, replacing Mary Wilson, who was dropped from cabinet.
Jeff Carr replaced Green as transportation and infrastructure minister, while Réjean Savoie, elected in a June byelection, becomes minister for the Regional Development Corporation.
Liberal Leader Susan Holt said the critique in Cardy's letter "seems to reflect what we've been hearing from others and reflects some of the concerns we've had about this government and their approach to leadership."
Cardy, the former leader of the New Brunswick NDP, joined the PCs in 2017 as an adviser to Higgs and ran for the Tories in the 2018 election.
At the time Cardy switched parties, Higgs said they were "directly aligned on so many issues" but acknowledged they would not see eye-to-eye on everything.
"I want people who are going to bring ideas, and are going to bring action, into the group," Higgs said.
"We can work through any minor issues that come up, because I do it every day with everyone."
In 2020, Cardy failed to win enough support from the PC caucus to get a bill passed that would have eliminated philosophical and religious exemptions from the mandatory vaccination policy for school children.
And last year, he criticised the government's ban on provincial officials delivering Indigenous land acknowledgements at public events, saying it "added an unnecessary conflict that is creating confusion and justifiable anger toward our government."
Cardy has also been a vocal supporter of Centre Ice Canadians, a group of moderate conservatives who have criticized federal Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre.
The six chiefs of the Wolastoqey Nation in New Brunswick issued a statement Thursday calling on other PC ministers to join Cardy in resigning.
"It is more evident than ever that your leader is not operating within the fundamental principles of good governance, nor the aims and principles of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick," the statement said.
"Stop standing by and allowing a single person to conduct such harmful practices. Indigenous people, and New Brunswickers, are watching closely and applauding the winds of change."
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Methinks challenging Higgy's leadership is on Andrea Anderson-Mason's agenda before he calls an election N'esy Pas?
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Fri, Jun 9, 2023 at 5:59 PM |
| To: "Gary.Crossman" <Gary.Crossman@gnb.ca>, "Bill.Hogan" <Bill.Hogan@gnb.ca>, "Bill.Oliver" <Bill.Oliver@gnb.ca>, "jake.stewart" <jake.stewart@parl.gc.ca>, "jacques.j.leblanc" <jacques.j.leblanc@gnb.ca>, "Tammy.Scott-Wallace" <Tammy.Scott-Wallace@gnb.ca>, "michelle.conroy" <michelle.conroy@gnb.ca>, david.sollows@gnb.ca, "John.Williamson" <John.Williamson@parl.gc.ca>, "mary.wilson" <mary.wilson@gnb.ca>, "john.green" <john.green@gnb.ca>, Daniel.J.Allain@gnb.ca, Richard.Ames@gnb.ca, Guy.Arseneault@gnb.ca, "kathy.bockus" <kathy.bockus@gnb.ca>, "benoit.bourque" <benoit.bourque@gnb.ca>, "keith.chiasson" <keith.chiasson@gnb.ca>, Chuck.Chiasson@gnb.ca, "Ryan.Cullins" <Ryan.Cullins@gnb.ca>, Mike.Dawson@gnb.ca, Jean-Claude.D'Amours@gnb.ca, "Arlene.Dunn" <Arlene.Dunn@gnb.ca>, "bruce.fitch" <bruce.fitch@gnb.ca>, "jill.green" <jill.green@gnb.ca>, "Trevor.Holder" <Trevor.Holder@gnb.ca>, Susan.Holt@gnb.ca, "Margaret.Johnson" <Margaret.Johnson@gnb.ca>, "francine.landry" <francine.landry@gnb.ca>, Marco.LeBlanc@gnb.ca, Gilles.LePage@gnb.ca, Richard.Losier@gnb.ca, "Holland, Mike (LEG)" <mike.holland@gnb.ca>, "Rene.Legacy" <Rene.Legacy@gnb.ca>, Eric.Mallet@gnb.ca, "Greg.Turner" <Greg.Turner@gnb.ca>, "greg.byrne" <greg.byrne@gnb.ca>, Isabelle.Theriault@gnb.ca, Ernie.Steeves@gnb.ca, "Gilles.Cote" <Gilles.Cote@gnb.ca>, LTgov@gnb.ca, Glen.Savoie@gnb.ca, Rejean.A.Savoie@gnb.ca, Sherry.Wilson@gnb.ca, Dorothy.Shephard@gnb.ca | |
| Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com> | |
David Amos<david.raymond.amos333@gmail.com> | Fri, Jun 9, 2023 at 5:55 PM | |||||||||
| To: premier@ontario.ca, oldmaison@yahoo.com, dan.bussieres@gnb.ca, andre@jafaust.com, jbosnitch@gmail.com, briangallant10@gmail.com, brian.gallant@gnb.ca, blaine.higgs@gnb.ca, David.Coon@gnb.ca, Dominic.Cardy@gnb.ca, david.eidt@gnb.ca, hugh.flemming@gnb.ca, "Marco.Mendicino" <Marco.Mendicino@parl.gc.ca>, mcu <mcu@justice.gc.ca>, "Mike.Comeau" <Mike.Comeau@gnb.ca>, "kris.austin" <kris.austin@gnb.ca>, "Mitton, Megan (LEG)" <megan.mitton@gnb.ca>, "Arseneau, Kevin (LEG)" <kevin.a.arseneau@gnb.ca>, Alaina.Lockhart@gnb.ca, BrianThomasMacdonald@gmail.com, martin.gaudet@fredericton.ca, "andrea.anderson-mason" <andrea.anderson-mason@gnb.ca>, "jeff.carr" <jeff.carr@gnb.ca>, "robert.gauvin" <robert.gauvin@gnb.ca>, "robert.mckee" <robert.mckee@gnb.ca> | ||||||||||
| Cc: motomaniac333 <motomaniac333@gmail.com>, "Jacques.Poitras" <Jacques.Poitras@cbc.ca>, "Robert. Jones" <Robert.Jones@cbc.ca>, "Ross.Wetmore" <Ross.Wetmore@gnb.ca> | ||||||||||
Automatic reply: Methinks challenging Higgy's leadership is on Andrea Anderson-Mason's agenda before he calls an election N'esy Pas?
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https://davidraymondamos3. Friday, 9 June 2023 PC rebellion still 'simmering' as MLA breaks ranks on education council bill | ||||||||||
PC rebellion still 'simmering' as MLA breaks ranks on education council bill
Tory MLA says new restrictions on DEC powers contradict premier’s rhetoric on role of parents
The Progressive Conservative caucus rebellion against Premier Blaine Higgs may not be over yet.
Seven PC ministers and MLAs were back in their seats Friday morning, voting for government legislation.
But there were signs of continuing fractures over the government's changes to Policy 713, which sets out how schools must provide safe, inclusive spaces for LGBTQ students.
Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West PC MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason blasted a government bill that she said contradicted the premier's logic on revising Policy 713.
Among other changes, the new version of the policy removes any clear obligation that teachers have to respect a child's choice of a new name and pronouns within the classroom.
Higgs says this is aimed at putting parents at the centre of decisions about their children's education.
At the same time, Bill 46 will restrict the powers of elected anglophone district education councils to playing an advisory role.
"I find it really ironic that we are standing here today and have had so many conversations about the importance of the role of parents in the lives of their children in the education system," Anderson-Mason said during a committee debate on the bill.
"And this new legislation has the effect of almost fully eliminating the input of local communities on their children's education. … If that is the issue with 713, then explain to me how we can do what we're doing in the Education Act."
Opposition Liberal Leader Susan Holt said Anderson-Mason's comments were "not typical … so it is a sign that there continues to be dissent in caucus.
"They're feeling a lot like New Brunswickers, I think. They're not included in the process of major legislation."
Even before Anderson-Mason's speech, Green Leader David Coon said the revolt was still "simmering" and it would be a long weekend for some Tories.
"The premier's going to have to make a decision on how he's going to actually lead a government where he's lost the confidence of so many cabinet ministers and members of his caucus."
Higgs questions MLA's motives
But Higgs told reporters Anderson-Mason had "another agenda" that he wouldn't identify.
He called her comments on a contradiction between the policy and the bill "a long reach."
"She is on her own mission and I'll leave it at that," he said.
Anderson-Mason was among the eight PC members who refused to take their seats Thursday morning after the release of the revisions to Policy 713.
They said they were expressing their "extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency."
New
Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says the change to Policy 713 that
removes the obligation for teachers to respect a child’s choice of a new
name and pronouns within the classroom is aimed at putting parents at
the centre of decisions about their children's education. (CBC)
Education Minister Bill Hogan told reporters before Anderson-Mason's speech that the state of the PC caucus was "absolutely fine" and that MLAs were united.
Higgs threatened on Thursday to call an election after the PC revolt broke out.
He said Friday "it remains to be seen" if the revolt is over.
"It's an unfortunate incident that happened yesterday but we are debating some big, big items. I've always been very open to have discussions but very reluctant to walk away from it and park it in a corner."
Minister denies rebellion
The seven dissidents back in the house Friday were ministers Dorothy Shephard, Trevor Holder, Arlene Dunn, Jeff Carr and Jill Green and backbenchers Ross Wetmore and Anderson-Mason.
The eighth, Local Government Minister Daniel Allain, was at an event in Moncton.
He told Radio-Canada there was "no rebellion" in the PC caucus but he'd "continue to promote transparency."
Holt said she hoped the eight Tories would vote for a motion she introduced Friday morning calling on the government to revert to the original Policy 713.
"I do think that some of them may be supportive of our motion," she said.
"What we're focused on right now is doing everything we can to defend the rights of children and the 2SLGBTQIA+ community. We are trying to use every tool in our toolkit to get this policy into the legislature."
Departmental policies, unlike legislation, are not normally voted on in the legislature. Holt's motion would not come to a vote before next Thursday.
The changes to Policy 713 have received national attention, with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau weighing in during a Thursday evening Pride event in Toronto.
"Trans kids need to feel safe, not targeted by politicians," he said.
Opposition
Liberal Leader Susan Holt said Anderson-Mason’s comments were “not
typical … so it is a sign that there continues to be dissent in caucus." (Ed Hunter/CBC)
Holt also called on the eight dissident PC MLAs to vote against a government motion Friday to limit debate on nine bills, including the DEC legislation, to a maximum total of 12 hours.
"I would be encouraged to see them stand up for democracy and vote down the closure motion," Holt said.
In the debate on the DEC legislation, Anderson-Mason said another flaw was that it was at odds with the original PC plan a year and a half ago to enshrine more local input, not less, in the Education Act.
The government wants the bill passed before the legislature's scheduled adjournment for the summer on June 16.
But Anderson-Mason said the 111-page bill was being "rushed through" and she would support an opposition motion to send it to the legislature's law amendments committee for further study.
"What is wrong with actually taking the legislation, showing it to people and saying, 'is this good? Does this work? Does this make sense?'"
Allain would not say Friday whether he thought Higgs should quit.
"It's his choice. At the end of the day, I am a proud Progressive Conservative."
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