Amidst a flurry of handshakes, hugs and hellos (and even a few kisses), Shawn Graham swung through the Tantramar riding Sunday as his first weekend on the election trail was winding down.
Climbing down off the Liberal bus at Patterson’s Restaurant in Sackville following his nominating convention in Kent, a high-energy Graham took a stroll through the popular eatery, chatting with customers, many who were visiting from across the border. (And, of course, with the price of gas nearly a dime cheaper here than in Nova Scotia, he couldn’t pass up the opportunity to tell the visitors to make sure they ‘filled up’ before heading home.)
Next up was a quick stop in downtown Sackville, where the Liberal leader visited the local grocery store, shaking hands and greeting people of all ages in full election campaign style.
Then the bus took him to the village of Dorchester, where he dropped in on customers dining at the renowned Bell Inn restaurant, including a lady who was out celebrating her 90th birthday with family and friends.
Evelyn Bourque seemed quite pleased with the kiss on the cheek she received as a gift from New Brunswick’s young Premier.
In between stops, Graham chatted with the Sackville Tribune-Post about the upcoming election and how he hopes to put New Brunswick on a path toward a brighter future.
His plan, he says, is to create 20,000 jobs in the province over the next four years. A lofty goal perhaps, but one he believes is attainable.
Graham’s objective is also to attract more people to New Brunswick to offset the workforce that is about to retire.
“The province is at a crossroads,” he says, noting that over the next 10 years there will be a gap to fill as the population ages.
He insists that raising taxes and cutting services, as other party leaders have suggested, is not the way to return to balanced budgets.
Instead, he says placing more focus on business development will be key to wiping away some of the debt load the province faces.
He says it will also be important to continue finding efficiencies within the system to balance the books.
For example, he cites the reduction of eight Regional Health Authorities down to two as one of several major cost-saving measures achieved under his leadership.
Graham also spoke about a ‘made-in-New Brunswick 100-mile challenge,’ an initiative that would help promote an eat local agenda.
He says the idea would be to partner with local producers and restaurants so that people would have the opportunity to eat fresher, locally-grown food.
