Both the Conservative government of Canada’s Atlantic province of New Brunswick and its Official Opposition Liberal party were under attack on the question of the province’s economy by the three other party leaders who participated in Tuesday (September 9) night’s TV election debate.
The social democratic NDP, the Greens and the People’s Alliance of New Brunswick took aim at the main parties’ economic records, in a province with financial stagnation.
Official Opposition Liberal leader Brian Gallant was promoting his $900 million infrastructure plan as a job creator. Saying fixing roads and bridges would create jobs, promising to create 10,000 new jobs.
Gallant attacked the province’s Conservative premier, David David Alward and his policies saying he “has had a fixation on fracking and cuts in the last four years and where has that gotten us? It has gotten us 3,000 less full-time jobs, it has gotten us the first government in 40 years to not create any jobs for New Brunswickers.”
The issue of shale gas or fracking has been a controversial and major topic in the election campaign.
Premier Alward has not shied away from the issue. The Conservatives started their re-election campaign outside of a natural gas well and his party is explicitly in favour of developing a shale gas industry.
More information:
CTV News – Liberals, PC targeted in New Brunswick election debate – here
CBC News – New Brunswick election: Party leaders focus on jobs, shale gas in debate – here
Global News – N.B. Liberal platform promises more spending, tax hike for wealthy – here
Globe and Mail – New Brunswick party leaders pit shale-gas jobs against fracking moratorium – here
Full TV debate – here
Elections New Brunswick – Election information – here
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