Monday 28 October 2024

Glen Savoie is interim PC leader following resignation of Blaine Higgs

 

Glen Savoie is interim PC leader following resignation of Blaine Higgs

Caucus chooses longtime MLA from Saint John East to be face of party until members elect a new leader

ABOUT THE AUTHOR


Jacques Poitras

Provincial Affairs reporter

Jacques Poitras has been CBC's provincial affairs reporter in New Brunswick since 2000. He grew up in Moncton and covered Parliament in Ottawa for the New Brunswick Telegraph-Journal. He has reported on every New Brunswick election since 1995 and won awards from the Radio Television Digital News Association, the National Newspaper Awards and Amnesty International. He is also the author of five non-fiction books about New Brunswick politics and history.

 
 
 
289 Comments 
 


David Amos
The plot thickens
 
 
David Amos
My nickname for Savoie is now "Slim Pickens" 
 
David Amos
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Do you have a strong opinion that could add insight, illuminate an issue in the news, or change how people think about an issue? We want to hear from you

Wes McLean is a senior consultant with the Capital Hill Group and served as an advisor to conservative governments in Ottawa, Manitoba and New Brunswick, most recently as deputy chief of staff to Premier Blaine Higgs. He was an MLA from 2010-2014

 
 
Shevek Anarres
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Does he also oppress vulnerable children?

Luc Newsome
Reply to Shevek Anarres
Nah…there is a new government in charge who will be apologized for in about 100 years

Ted DiBlase
Content Deactivated
Reply to Shevek Anarres
Do you?

David Amos
Content Deactivated
Reply to Shevek Anarres
Why does your question not surprise me? 
 
David Amos
Reply to Shevek Anarres
Wow 
 


John Oaktree
With such a resounding loss and Higgs not even winning his own seat it doesn't surprise me that he's resigned.
 
david arseneau
Reply to John Oaktree
hes 70 years old

Ralph Skavinsky

Reply to david arseneau
Wowwww..ya think??

David Amos
Reply to Ralph Skavinsky
Methinks we are a little older than Higgy and far wiser N'esy Pas?



Bobby Richards

This election was not so much about voting Susan in but voting Blaine OUT.

John Lee
Reply to Bobby Richards
I imagine that's a pretty standard reason any time there's a change in administration.

Don Corey
Reply to Bobby Richards
True,

David Amos
Reply to Bobby Richards
Plus ca change plus c'est la meme chose N'esy Pas?



John Montgomery

You can't just pay the debt. People want to see some results from their tax dollars.

Don Corey
Reply to John Montgomery
Well, with Holt you’ll see all our tax dollars spent and borrowing when the well runs dry, so that should please you immensely.

Time will tell if we see any positive results on the healthcare front. I’m hoping such will be the case.

David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
I am still waiting for my Health Care Refund



Hugh MacDonald

Higgs has left a mess behind for his party to cleanup.
 
Matt Steele
Reply to Hugh MacDonald
....and TWO and a HALF BILLION dollars for Holt to squander .
 
James Wolf
Reply to Matt Steele
It will be worse when she's through.
 
Matt Steele
Reply to James Wolf
Yep , by reducing the provincial debt by TWO and a HALF BILLION ; Higgs was saving the N.B. taxpayers 90 MILLION per year in interest ; now it will be right back to square one , and into the red again with surging tax increases in another year or two .
 
Bobby Richards
Reply to Matt Steele
Higgs only had a surplus when there was a large influx of transfers from Ottawa. Almost $3 billion. He ran large deficits when he was finance minister.

"Finance Minister Blaine Higgs tabled his 2013-2014 budget today.

The province is projecting a total deficit of $478.7 million. Excluding an unusual one-time pension expense of $110 million, an operational deficit of $368.7 million is projected."
 
Alex Butt
Reply to Matt Steele
Higgs only had a surplus because of Ottawa handouts, skyrocketing taxes we pay and the fact he did nothing to fix the healthcare disaster, third world roads & infrastructure, over full schools and the list goes on an on and on. He only helped the likes of the irvings & nb power.

Don Corey
Reply to Hugh MacDonald
Not really. The mess is on the way though.

David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
Yup



Daniel Franklin

Same old PC party choosing someone from Irving country.

Matt Steele

Reply to Daniel Franklin
.....you mean like Frank McKenna , or Dominic LeBlanc .

MR Cain

Reply to Daniel Franklin
Pretty difficult to find someone who hasn't some ties to the oligarchy.

Don Corey
Reply to Daniel Franklin
The voters chose lots of MLA’s from down in Irving country.

It would be nice to see, but I don’t expect anything to change there with the Liberals.

David Amos
Reply to Don Corey
Well put



Doug Butler
Unfortunately this is what happens when a political leader does his best to be fiscally responsible and legislate sensible policies.

Jos Allaire
Reply to Doug Butler
...nonsensical policies.

Gregory Wulf
Reply to Doug Butler
It's a brave new world out there.

Daniel Franklin
Reply to Doug Butler
The PC's were hardly fiscally responsible. All they knew was austerity.

Matt Steele
Reply to Doug Butler
Yep , and now watch Holt squander TWO and a HALF BILLION dollars , and put N.B. into the red again .

MR Cain
Reply to Doug Butler
Left us a mess.

John Oaktree

Reply to Doug Butler
This is what happens when a leader alienates the people he's supposed to be leading.

John Oaktree
Reply to Doug Butler
Higgs led by division.

The people don't want division. They want a government that serves all the people of New Brunswick.

Don Corey
Reply to John Oaktree
That’s certainly what we all should want and expect. I expect the special treatment though will remain within the mighty golden triangle.

David Amos

Reply to Gregory Wulf
It appears to be the same old dog eat dog world to me

David Amos

Reply to Jos Allaire
Such as 713

David Amos

Reply to Don Corey
Me too

Gregory Wulf
Reply to David Amos
It was a Aldous Huxley reference.

David Amos

Reply to Gregory Wulf
I know but with a name such yours you should understand my rebuttal in the proper spirit

Gregory Wulf

Reply to David Amos
 I've been around here for a while. I've had to lower the bar of expectations here so often, it's been buried face down.

David Amos
Reply to Gregory Wulf
I know the feeling I was on the ballot against Higgy and next to nobody noticed



Mario Doucet

2.3 million lining up at the food bank and all we see are woke issues

MR Cain
Reply to Mario Doucet
smokes and booze are expensive, as well as the mortgage and 2 vehicles.

Peter Hill
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Leonard Corcora

Reply to Peter Hill
What on earth are you talking about .

Don Corey
Reply to MR Cain
True, but that doesn’t explain why food bank usage across Canada has more than doubled in less than 5 years.

For the answer, look no further than Ottawa.

David Amos
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Reply to Don Corey
IMHO Cardy played Higgy et al like fiddle

https://www.cbc.ca/news/opinion/opinion-new-brunswick-covid-cabinet-committee-non-partisan-1.6201624 

 
John Lee
Reply to Don Corey
In large part, but there are lots of people and factors that should also bear some blame.

David Amos
Reply to John Lee
Mr Cardy is at the top of my list

 
 
Marcel Marcotte
I doubt they have a permanent leader for at least the next 12 to 18 months

David Amos
Reply to Marcel Marcotte
I bet they will have one by Apple Blossom time next year

Ed Armstrong
Reply by David Amos
No need to have one before the spring of 2027. Less time for the media vultures to pick the new leaders bones clean.

John Oaktree
Reply by Marcel Marcotte
They'll wait until their convention to pick a new permanent leader.

David Amos
Reply by Ed Armstrong
The vultures are already circling

FYI I never believe anything politicians say

"Jeff Carr, a former PC cabinet minister, said on election night it was too early to be thinking about the party's next leader.

His colleague Daniel Allain, also removed the same day, posted last week that Tories should "take the time to properly reflect, to heal and then focus towards rebuilding" the party so it appeals to all New Brunswickers.

But he said on a Radio-Canada panel he had not spoken to anyone about running for leader.

Another former minister, Mike Holland, said on election night he was "with like-minded PCs and we are discussing that subject right now. More will come in the near future."

In 2022 former People's Alliance leader Kris Austin, who had recently joined the PCs, wouldn't rule out a future leadership bid.

"I leave all options on the table," he said. "I don't want to box myself in one way or the other."

Austin did not respond to an interview request this week.

Green said she had no plans to run but had been encouraged to do so.

"I never say never. … Maybe we need several female premiers, one after the other."

Ed Armstrong
Reply by Ed Armstrong
They need a leader in the house when the house sits, it can't be a random MLA on any day so the Party appoints an interim leader. The discussion Jeff and Danny were having was concerning a permanent leader 2 plus years down the road.

Ed Armstrong
Reply by Ed Armstrong
The party has to appoint an interim leader to ocwraww the day to day operation of the

MLAa sitting in opposition. Jeff and Danny were referring to the permanent leader to be elected 2 plus years down the road.



Bobby Richards
Since NB's overwhelming trouncing of Higgs, the PC party that he destroyed has much mending and reconstructing to do. I'm looking forward to attending the AGM. Higgs did not allow an annual general meeting for the 6 years he was premier.

David Amos
Reply to Bobby Richards
I have no doubt yo will let us know how it goes. However shouldn't you apologize to Carlin and Stewart before you go?

Jack Bell

Reply to Bobby Richards
"NB's overwhelming trouncing of Higgs, the PC party "

Liberal Party 180,803 votes

PC 131,329 votes

I'd hardly call that a trouncing.

Eddy Geek
Reply to Jack Bell
Look at the seats won and lost Jack - NB, like the rest of Canada does not have and has never had a popular vote

i.e. it is NOT the number of votes that counts, it is the number of SEATS in the legislature that counts

Higgs did not even win his own seat

James Wolf
Reply to Bobby Richards
There are more votes in a municipal election.

Jack Bell
Reply to Eddy Geek
..and what does anything you just said have to do with an overwhelming trouncing?

Don Corey
Reply to David Amos
Good question. 
 


Jos Allaire
He won't be missed.

David Amos
Reply to Jos Allaire
C'est Vrai but what if he becomes one of our Senators or a Canadian Consul?

Jack Bell
Reply to Jos Allaire
What about Irving?

Jos Allaire
Reply to Jack Bell
Irving will find another one. He may already have one right now.

Tristis Ward
Reply to Jack Bell
I'm sure Irving will miss him being in power.

James Wolf
Reply to Jos Allaire
But his policies will.

John Oaktree
Reply to James Wolf
No they won't. The people of New Brunswick just rejected his policies.

John Oaktree
Reply to James Wolf
If the people of New Brunswick wanted Higgs' policies, he'd be Premier today.
 
 
 
Gilles Vienneau
Higgs didn't even have the decency to resign publicly. He cannot feel humility and it showed clearly during the last 6 years. So much for history books!!!

James Wolf

Reply to Gilles Vienneau
Neither does the savant.

Craig McMaster
Reply to James Wolf
I agree - if Poilievre doesn't want to get his security clearance so he can do his job he should just resign.

David Amos

Reply to Craig McMaster
Perhaps he can't get one

Don Corey
Reply to Craig McMaster
But think about all the Liberals who would miss him keeping their boss on pins and needles continuously. 
 

 
jack steeve
Higgie had it coming...divisive with LGBTQ+ rights, divisive with First Nations, divisive with French, autocrat wanting not to lead but impose his will like a dictator to his own caucus, and the move to the right with that uber christian that was just there to amplify his rhetoric....shows that he was out of touch...he played the song at the State of the Province speech...Should I stay or should i go...with a big smile...laughing at us...well...we are all laughing at him now...and the province is back on track, away from the right wing politics that are trying to gain traction in Canada.

Inger Nielsen
Reply to jack steeve
could not have said it better myself

Ronald Miller
Reply to jack steeve
But it was the Higgs gov't that put in policy 713 that protects their rights. How was he divisive with the French, can you name the policy that did that? What policy did they put in place based on religion? If he wanted his way all the time why did they not implement the education changes they wanted to put in a couple of years ago?

James Wolf
Reply to jack steeve
We shouldn't cater to special interest groups.

David Amos
Reply to James Wolf
I agree

Inger Nielsen

Reply to James Wolf
what have you got against groups that when they come together make up a great portion of the N.B voter base and we all know Higgs had his fav special interest group Irving inc

David Amos

Reply to Inger Nielsen
Perhaps you should study our history

Inger Nielsen

Reply to David Amos
i am part of that history ty, no need to study i have it all right here .

David Amos
Reply to Inger Nielsen
My Clan came here in the 1700s

Inger Nielsen
Reply to David Amos
so did half of mine and your point is ?

David Amos
Reply to Inger Nielsen
What is it you think you know about the Kings Rangers?

David Amos
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Reply to Inger Nielsen
More to the point do you even know who I am?

Inger Nielsen
Reply to David Amos
they where an infantry regiment of the non-permanent active militia of the Canadian militia (now known as the Canadian Army)

David Amos

Reply to Inger Nielsen
The Rangers helped defeat the French then lost to the Yankees

Jos Allaire

Reply to David Amos
Some of mine in the 1600 and the others for time immemorial.

Inger Nielsen
Reply to David Amos
should I? or do i even care?

David Amos
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Reply to Inger Nielsen
I bet you didn't know that I ran against Higgy or that I find your constant gloating rather comical 
 
 https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/losses-cities-tories-west-1.7358853
 
David Amos
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Reply to Jos Allaire
You already know who I am N'esy Pas?

David Amos

Reply to Inger Nielsen
Rest assured that I don't care if you do or not

Bob Smith
Reply to Ronald Miller
Higgs wasn't divisive with the francophones. They stood solidly against him.

Ronald Miller
Reply to Bob Smith
But the side you argue with just said he was, your deflection is noted. Yes, they don't like anyone who does not cave in to all their demands.

Tristis Ward

Reply to Ronald Miller
It was the hard work of others over many years that put that policy together. It most definitely was not Higgs. And he hated it. He altered it to suit his needs practically over the unalived bodies of those many volunteers who took such care to make it as good as it was.

Do not give him credit for the thing he tried to destroy.

Tristis Ward
Reply to David Amos
1700s?

Are you aware that some of the people Higgs disrespected on the regular were here a whole lot longer than that far back?

Bob Smith
Reply to Ronald Miller
I guess in your world, Higgs united the province under his leadership. I suppose that is true judging by the way he slunk off into the shadows after defeat.

David Amos
Reply to Tristis Ward
Nobody from the 1700s and before are still alive today. A simple fact is that Higgy's Mother and mine both lived to be a 100. Imagine what they witnessed in their life and times. I have been here 72 years and have been disrespected more times than anyone in living New Brunswick these days
 

 
Loran Hayden
"Higgs was defeated in his Quispamsis riding on election night."

Let's hope the good people of Carleton have finally had enough of their absentee MP and follow-suit.

David Amos
Reply to Loran Hayden
Did you notice anything else???



james bolt
Bilingual cabinet ministers let the party to defeat?

Gilles Vienneau
Reply to james bolt
Too few bilingual cabinet ministers...

Mack Leigh
Reply to Gilles Vienneau
Totally agree. Need to elect some who speak English and Cantonese ; English and Arabic ; English and Korean ; English and German , etc., etc., etc.,.... Everyone should be represented in a true democracy...

Gilles Vienneau
Reply to Mack Leigh
You think this is funny? The joke is on you; NB is and will remain a bilingual province for a very long time. French is an expanding international language. You should try it; you could communicate with over 300 000 NB's!!!!

David Amos
Reply to james bolt
Nay not so

David Amos
Reply to Mack Leigh
Surely you jest

David Amos

Reply to Gilles Vienneau
Dream on

Tristis Ward
Reply to Mack Leigh
So, that would be English and French and Cantonese; English and French and Arabic; English and French and Korean; English and French and German, etc.

(of course) 
 
 
 
 

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