On the eve of a new session and throne speech inside the New Brunswick legislature, Premier Susan Holt says residents will see an “acceleration” of change during the second year of her government’s mandate. “We’ve put the foundations in place,” said Holt. “We’ve gotten some of those initial things set up. Now we really need to get things rolling and see an acceleration of the changes that our team has made.” Holt said her government’s two top priorities – health care and affordability – are moving in the right direction, with the first year of her mandate spent consulting with unions and community groups. Holt counted the introduction of a rent cap and the development of seven collaborative health-care clinic teams as successes from her government over the last year. “The speech from the throne is titled ‘Change in Motion’ and it reflects the fact that much of our work this year was foundational, and now things really need to roll,” said Holt. Major files on the province’s agenda between now and next fall include the restructuring of K-12 education and the conclusion of a review about NB Power’s future. Holt said unfulfilled commitments that were supposed to happen in the government’s first year will be carried out over to the upcoming year, including the implementation of a universal school lunch program and the elimination of the cost-of-carbon adjuster. “New Brunswickers are frustrated because this government promised them everything, and have delivered very little in the big promises that they have made,” said Glen Savoie, interim leader of the Progressive Conservatives. Following projections from the March budget, Holt acknowledged the government’s flagship election promise of delivering balanced budgets in each year of its mandate had become out of reach. Green Party Leader David Coon said Holt’s pledge of “transformation change” during her second year would’ve required a massive restructuring of government systems in its first year – particularly in health. “They haven’t restructured anything,” said Coon. Holt said legislation to be tabled early in the new session would include an election pledge to provide more structural independence between the province’s chief medical officer of health and government. For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
