By Canadian Press

New Brunswick leaders spar over economy, health care in first election debate

Sep 3, 2020 | 5:04 PM

FREDERICTON — The first debate of New Brunswick’s provincial election campaign is underway in Fredericton.

Progressive Conservative Leader and incumbent Premier Blaine Higgs is arguing the province needs political stability as it recovers from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

He says New Brunswick’s economic recovery from COVID-19 is the fastest in the country.

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers says he wants to build a new economy with investments in infrastructure and in education.

Vickers says Higgs lost the trust of citizens when he tried to cut services to rural hospitals.

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The four others on the debate stage are People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin, Green Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Mackenzie Thomason and the leader of the Keep It Simple Solutions party, Gerald Bourque.

“In all due respect you lost the trust of New Brunswickers on the health-care file,” Vickers told Higgs. “What you proposed was reckless and damaging.”

Higgs said the people of New Brunswick know him. “I’m not a new face here … people know me. Our province is pulling together like it never did before.”

Coon said his goal is to keep New Brunswickers safe and secure while Austin called on voters to elect another minority government.

“We cannot go back to the old days of one party holding all the power,” Austin said.

When the election was called, the standings in the legislature were 20 Tories, 20 Liberals, three Greens, three People’s Alliance members and one Independent. Two seats were vacant.

Voting day is slated for Sept. 14.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 3, 2020.

The Canadian Press