FREDERICTON, N.B. - Premier Brian Gallant laid out an agenda in his throne speech Oct. 23 which pulls ideas from all political parties as he attempts to gain the confidence of the House and continue to govern New Brunswick.
“New Brunswickers, for the first time in a century, did not give any of the political parties a mandate to govern alone,” said Gallant in a press conference Oct. 22, ahead of the throne speech.
“By providing the minority government situation, New Brunswickers have asked us to work together, more so than ever before, to improve the lives of families in our province.”
Gallant said the vast majority of commitments in the throne speech have been raised by two or more parties in their platforms. Raising the minimum wage and advancing pay equity were just two of those commitments.
The paramedic shortage, which has had an impact on all New Brunswickers - particularly those in rural areas - was also specifically addressed, as it was another priority in all parties’ platforms.
“Every political party has recognized the need to act swiftly and aggressively to strengthen ambulance services and address the paramedics shortage in New Brunswick. By working together, there’s no doubt we will be able to improve the ambulance services for all New Brunswickers, including in rural parts of our province.”
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The speech from the throne opened the first session of the 59th legislature and was read in the legislative assembly today by Lt.-Gov. Jocelyne Roy Vienneau on behalf of the government.
“By embracing the minority government situation, members of the legislative assembly have an opportunity to find common ground while bringing more perspectives to the legislature,” said Roy Vienneau.
“New Brunswickers have called on their representatives to collaborate more than ever before, and this must be the mission for the members of the legislative assembly.”
The speech laid out a process aimed at improving legislative procedures to give all parties a bigger voice and to adapt the rules for a minority situation.
Collaborative measures outlined in the speech include a new budget process that would be open to the public instead of behind closed doors. The new approach for developing the annual budget would see, for the first time, all parties and the public hearing the details of departmental spending challenges and opportunities, as well as the debate over how to prioritize them. This process is intended to balance the budget by 2020-2021.
The government also proposed sending a number of complex policy issues to all-party committees to develop consensus solutions, including recommendations to address paramedic shortages by Dec. 15.
Additional issues that are being proposed for all parties to undertake include:
• Determining a schedule for future increases to the minimum wage following an increase to $12 per hour to come into effect on April 1, 2019.
• Working with the Coalition for Pay Equity, as well as labour and business groups and other relevant stakeholders, to extend pay equity legislation to the private sector.
• Considering whether to recommend a phased-in ban of the use of herbicides such as glyphosate based on objective evidence.
• Considering whether to recommend to the house a question or questions relating to proportional representation, preferential balloting and the voting age that could be posed to New Brunswickers during the 2020 municipal elections.
• Reviewing the municipal taxation system and make recommendations to modernize it. This could include reducing or eliminating the so-called double tax and eliminating industrial assessment exemptions, including on machinery and equipment.
The complete text of the speech from the throne is available online.
