This is about money and what we can afford. It’s a shame that some are trying to use it to widen the linguistic divide.
All in Political
Is Robert Gauvin going to be Blaine Higgs' Jean Maurice Simard?
Circumstances can sometimes catapult someone into a situation they didn’t invite, and that requires a decision the consequences of which represent more responsibility than they maywant to assume.
Let's see how the new Higgs government measures up on the compassion front
The problem is considerable. For a start, there’s hardly any affordable housing. Rents have risen steadily while welfare rates haven’t moved in years. Add to that the complex issues those who are living rough are dealing with. Almost all have mental health challenges, often combined with serious addictions. As Faith McFarland of the Community Action Group on Homelessness so matter-of-factly states, crystal meth is a monster. And it is a monster combined with everything else requires professional intervention. This isn’t a job for volunteer ladies from our local churches, regardless of how well-intentioned they may be.
A Straight Pride flag? Chipman, ya gotta be kidding me.
I expect the mayor and council, and maybe even those who hatched the flag idea, simply didn’t think it through. That’s the benefit of the doubt. The other possible conclusions are less kind.
It's time for a serious discussion on Proportional Representation
Just two points to wrap this up. First, we are one of only five countries in the world that is still using the first-past-the–post system, and one of the other ones is the United States. We can see how that’s working out for them. Second, consider New Zealand. They switched from first-past-the-post in 1996. Then in 2011 as part of that year’s election, they had a referendum asking if citizens would like to switch back. The response – no way.
Life of Brian. It's not going to be much longer as Premier, so why is he hanging on?
While Higgs only scored one more seat than Gallant did, that one could make all the difference. Not that he couldn’t be defeated on his own confidence vote, but he won’t be, because no one wants an election.
Some final election campaign thoughts
It is almost a sense of resignation that it doesn’t matter, that nothing is going to change. I can certainly understand the cynicism.
A week to go, and the arse is right out of 'er
So we have Gallant who appears to not care about how much we owe at all, and Higgs who may care but doesn’t appear to have a plan.
Political Observer's Panel - Sept. 7/18
Does Brian Gallant care about the debt? Does Blaine Higgs have a vision for the province? Is David Coon in trouble? Is Kris Austin dog whistling to the anti-bilingualism crowd? The Political Observer’s Panel is back with a mid-campaign assessment.
The race is on and it looks like heartaches
The Liberals are spending like crazy, especially in Saint John, based on the tried and true strategy that you can buy people’s votes with their own money. The Tories, on the other hand, are hoping that for the first time in history, that strategy won’t work, and voters will see that Higgs offers the more responsible approach given our precarious economic reality.
Chris Collins - We Really Should Know More
There’s no need of the continued secrecy over what Chris Collins did. There’s good reason for disclosure of the facts.
CUPE joins Ambulance New Brunswick in agreement to keep New Brunswickers in the dark
We are used to the government and Ambulance New Brunswick trying to keep the public in the dark. But it is especially disappointing to find the paramedic union has become a complicit partner in this campaign of non-transparency.
AG budget increase would be sound investment for NB taxpayers
It was one more chapter in the uneasy relationship between the Auditor-General and the government. And that’s great. The AG should make the government uncomfortable.
About those Officer's Square elm trees
the key question remains of how city hall could be so tone deaf as to not understand how cutting down these majestic trees wouldn’t rub a lot of people the wrong way.
Flood aftermath - some thoughts on cleanup, the army, and compensation.
we have to wonder - with the combination of climate change and clear-cutting making flooding worse, is this the new normal? Do we even have any idea where the flood plain is anymore?
The politics of flood response
When there is a crisis, in this case the flood, a politician’s reputation is either enhanced, or diminished, depending on how he or she responds.
Kris Austin's challenge is also his opportunity
People’s Alliance candidate Stewart Manuel has used his Facebook page to compare Liberals to Nazis. This creates a challenge but also an opportunity for party leader Kris Austin.
April 6 CBC Political Observer's Panel
"I wouldn't trust them as far as I could throw them"
Is wanting an ethical leader too much to ask?
Trudeau was supposed to be a breath of fresh air after Harper, but he is proving to have the same kind of ethical shortcomings
From daycare subsidies to Irving's influence - This week's political observer's panel
From daycare subsidies and the Medavie contract, to Irving's influence with government. this week's political observer's panel looks at the top stories of the past week.