Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 1 May 12, 2026 CONTENTS TOURISM Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Ms. M. Wilson Hon. Ms. Thériault Ms. M. Wilson Hon. Ms. Thériault Ms. M. Wilson Hon. Mr. Kennedy FOREST INDUSTRY Mr. Coon Hon. Mr. Herron Mr. Coon Hon. Mr. Herron

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 2 TOURISM Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Thériault Mr. Savoie Hon. Mr. Gauvin Hon. Mr. Gauvin

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 3 [Translation] TOURISM Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Good afternoon. [Original] Mr. Deputy Speaker, this government is cutting heritage tourism sites. It is trying to build a narrative that our heritage sites with fewer than 5 000 annual visitors need to be shuttered. The Premier says that she makes all decisions based on data and practices evidence-based decision-making.

Sheriff Andrews House in Saint Andrews is one of our heritage sites being slashed by this government. Sheriff Andrews House is one of the most visited sites in Saint Andrews on Canada Day, which is hugely popular. Saint Andrews annually has up to 150 000 visitors, and that is just during the summer. My question is to the Premier. What consultation was done with Sheriff Andrews House officials prior to the closing announcement? Sheriff Andrews House has an entry-by-donation structure.

Was there even any investigation into whether enough money could be raised through a fee structure, or, as usual, was this just all talk and no consultation? What does the government spend running Sheriff Andrews House each year? [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Here is what I want to say to the official opposition member. As you know, in the budget process, we reviewed government-owned sites to find potential savings. We identified 10 sites, whether they be heritage sites or provincial parks, to transfer to communities.

So, the process that was undertaken after the tabling of the budget and the meetings of the Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy was to hold discussions with community officials, local leaders, and local organization officials to see how we co uld transfer those sites, which are important, whether they relate to heritage or tourism, to local organizations so they can continue to operate them. That’s what is happening right now. Departmental officials are having discussions with local administrations to see how we can find solutions to preserve those sites through communities.

Thank you. [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. This was a surprise to many of these small communities. Heritage tourism sites anchor their identities. This was done in the Cabinet room, not out in the streets as these government members promised.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 4 Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am unsurprised that the Premier does not know this information. That’s just how this government operates. Let’s talk about Cape Enrage, though. According to the Cape Enrage website, its visitor number was pegged at 25 000 last year, with a high of 45 000. The visitor number of 25 000 is five times what the bar is for closure, according to the Holt government. Liberal math—the numbers just don’t add up.

This is a $100 000 cut by this government at yet another site in another rural Tory riding. How does the Premier justify this uninformed cut with this inconvenient data of 25 000 visitors? Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . It is true that Cape Enrage is an extraordinary place. Discussions took place concerning the four parks already being operated by local operators. The department owns 25 parks, but 4 are already operated by third parties. So, the goal is to hold discussions.

We actually had one last week with Cape Enrage Inter pretive Centre leadership to see how we can better help them prosper . The goal for this year is to keep these four sites open. We are prepared to subsidize operations for the coming year. We do plan to have discussions this year to determine the assistance we can provide so that the sites continue to operate and prosper . Discussions are ongoing. We had an initial discussion, and the administrations asked us to wait a while because municipal elections were being held. A second meeting on this topic is scheduled. [Original] Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): The minister could help them by restoring the $100 000 that the government cut. Cape Enrage is right on the coast, and those buildings take a beating every single year. It needs that money to continue operating. The Premier did a highland dance at Doak House last New Brunswick Day. She either really enjoyed being at Doak House, or she was giddy at the thought of winning that riding. She spent $30 000 and six days there trying to win that seat. She even went so far as to make it the seat of last year’s New Brunswick Day festivities.

Can the Premier get on her feet and explain to the people of Doaktown that this was not politically motivated? The mayor certainly thinks so. How much does it cost the province to run Doak House each year? Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . So, of the 10 sites that we proposed in the budget process, about half are in Liberal ridings, and the other half are in Conservative ridings. We have followed the process looking at these criteria: heritage sites held by the provincial government —

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 5 because the provincial government acquired some heritage sites in the 1980s —heritage sites with fewer than 5 000 visitors, and parks that were already being operated by third parties. So, that’s the criteria we looked at in the budget process. The 10 heritage sites or parks are beautiful and important. There’s nothing we would like more than to find common ground or a solution to give them back to the communities and help them prosper.

We have been having discussions on this topic since tabling the budget. [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Well, we know that more money is going into Liberal ridings, Mr. Deputy Speaker, so there’s that. We’ve seen the lack of data and evidence used to determine the closure of these sites, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Now, let’s look at the decision -making around the extension of other sites. Let’s be clear about what October 12 will look like in New Brunswick. School will be back in session. Summer vacations will be over.

The average high temperature that weekend will be 13°C. The only turkey getting cooked near Parlee Beach that week will be the one in someone’s oven at home. I ask the Premier this: While families in rural New Brunswick are watching their regional tourism history disappear, can she tell this House and the New Brunswickers footing the $100 000 bill exactly which families will be packing up the car, loading the cooler, and heading to the beach on a 13°C Thanksgiving weekend? I can assure you, Mr. Deputy Speaker, they won’t be her constituents. [Translation] Hon. Ms.

Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Mr . Deputy Speaker , people don’t just go to the beach to go swimming. They go to the beach to exercise, get some fresh air as a family, and get active. I’d like to tell the Leader of the Official Opposition that some parks are already open until October 12. That’s the case, for example, with Mount Carleton Provincial Park and Mactaquac Provincial Park. So we just decided that Parlee Beach Provincial Park would have the same closing date.

With regard to the other season extension, six or seven parks already close at the end of September, including New River Beach, Herring Cove, the Fundy Trail, the Village historique acadien, Re publique Provincial Park, and Sugarloaf Provincial Park. We just aligned the closing date of two parks with the others. I don’t see why the other side of the House is making such a big thing out of it. Perhaps the people on the other side didn’t know that some parks were open until these dates.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 6 Extending the seasons is part of our five-year tourism strategy to increase revenue by $1 billion within five years. We’re on the right track to do that, since we are already seeing increases in the tourism sector since last year. Thank you. [Original] Ms. M. Wilson (Oromocto-Sunbury, PC): Mr.

Deputy Speaker, the board of directors at the Cape Enrage Interpretive Centre said it was left with no choice but to close this year after ongoing operational challenges and the lack of a formal operating agreement with the province, which expired at the end of March. The board said it could not safely or responsibly operate the provincially owned site. Cape Enrage normally draws up to 25 000 visitors per year and was a major employer and tourism attraction in Albert County.

Your government’s pre -budget survey, entitled Difficult Decisions, clearly states that tourism, heritage, and culture sites with fewer than 5 000 visitors would be on the list for review. With Cape Enrage seeing over 20 000 visitors and North Lake not having anyone track visitors, can the minister explain how visitors were tracked across the different sites? As usual, the Liberal math is not adding up. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker .

I spent about four hours in the Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy explaining that to the member . The criterion of 5 000 visitors or fewer applies to heritage sites. Cape Enrage is a park operated by a third party. The criterion of 5 000 visitors does not apply in that case. There is one other thing… We don’t have the same numbers. At the department, we are told that there are about 12 000 visitors. The member opposite suggests that there are 25 000. That’s all right.

That’s part of the discussions we are currently having with the Cape Enrage Interpretive Center , to which we are extremely grateful. Behind all the parks and sites we are naming, there are local groups that are dedicated to them. We know that and we thank them. We are extremely grateful to them for their work. The objective is to continue discussions to determine how we can pass these s ites on to communities. [Original] Ms. M. Wilson (Oromocto-Sunbury, PC): Mr.

Deputy Speaker, we may have discussed that during main estimates, but your survey, Difficult Decisions, did clearly state that it would be tourism, heritage, and cultural sites with fewer than 5 000 visitors.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 7 New Brunswickers can’t afford gas for their tanks or groceries for their tables, yet senior staff from Tourism, Heritage and Culture were seen on the field at a recent Blue Jays game, the same game, I assume, that will cost New Brunswick taxpayers $1.62 million over three years for a two-and-a-half inch Explore NB patch on a bunch of jerseys. How many staff members attended this game?

While we wait for the response to our RTI request, can the minister tell the House what she knows about the initial cost of this trip—the flight costs, the hotel rooms, and how many $18 hotdogs were expensed? How many Tourism, Heritage and Culture sites could have stayed open if you hadn’t signed this contract? [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . I will be pleased to explain New Brunswick tourism promotion to you.

Every year, the provincial government invests $3 million to $3.5 million to promote New Brunswick tourism in Ontario. I hope you know that Ontario and Quebec are our target markets. Well, this year, we are spending about $500 000 of the total $3.5 million invested in Ontario on a partnership with the Blue Jays. The partnership involves an investment of about $500 000 each year for three years, which totals the $1.6 million that the member talked about. This isn’t an additional investment. The amount is part of the investment that is usually in the budget.

So, the $3.5 million includes funding a partnership with the Blue Jays, which will cost about $500 000 per year for three years. The partnership includes activations that will enable us to promote the province of New Brunswick at several games. I believe that 13 staff members went to Toronto for the first activation day. We are extremely proud of the partnership. [Original] Ms. M. Wilson (Oromocto-Sunbury, PC): Mr. Deputy Speaker, I counted 10 staff in that picture taken at the Blue Jays game.

Staying on the same troubling theme of rural tourism attractions being targeted by this government, I cannot help but think that poor old squire Doak would be rolling in his grave if he saw that photo of the Premier attempting a very questionable version of the Highland fling in front of his homestead. Was the Premier dancing because she already knew this government was preparing to close Doak House? In all seriousness, Mr. Deputy Speaker, the historic site in Doaktown is a living piece of New Brunswick history.

It’s a working heritage farm where visitors experience traditional skills and hands-on learning, connecting generations to our rural roots while helping to draw tourism to the region. My question to the Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture is this: Does the minister truly believe that cutting valued rural heritage attractions like Doak House is the right answer? What is the total annual operating cost of keeping this historic site open?

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 8 Hon. Mr. Kennedy (Quispamsis, Minister of Local Government; Minister responsible for Service New Brunswick, L): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. It is quite rich indeed that anybody on the opposition side would talk about tourism promotion in the province. Members opposite went to Europe and told folks there that they should come to New Brunswick to visit the capital city of Saint John and the Cherry Brook Zoo, which has been closed for five years.

Now, we’re investing in the most popular sports team in the country and encouraging all the Canadians who watch those Toronto Blue Jays games to come to New Brunswick. Someone on the other side—I don’t know whether it was the member for Carleton-York, Oromocto-Sunbury, or Albert-Riverview—talked about vengeance against the former Premier. We on this side of the House don’t care about the former Premier, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The other side of the House is obsessed with him. The wannabe leader from Arcadia-Butternut Valley-Maple Hills said he would be thrilled if the former Premier endorsed him.

The members opposite are busy obsessing over him and courting him for his support in their leadership race. We on this side don’t care about him. We beat him, and we beat you. Mr. Deputy Speaker: Thank you, minister. FOREST INDUSTRY Mr. Coon (Fredericton Lincoln, Leader, G): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The European Union has a new regulation that requires forestry companies to demonstrate that logging for the forestry products they export does not contribute to forest degradation.

Companies will have to comply with this regulation by the end of this year, at a time when the provincial and federal governments have been working to diversify markets to reduce our dependence on the United States. The exported wood would have to be marked with geographic coordinates showing where it was cut, and companies must prove this didn’t contribute to forest degradation.

As the DNR minister is currently in negotiations with the companies operating on Crown lands over their new five-year forest management cutting plans, this would be the time to pivot to more ecologically based forestry to ensure we can export readily and freely to Europe. Is the minister prepared to accept status quo forestry practices, or will he demand that those practices, which degrade forest hydrology and forest ecology, be replaced? Hon. Mr. Herron (Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, Minister of Natural Resources, L): Thank you very much, Mr.

Deputy Speaker, and I thank the honourable member opposite for the question. There are a couple of things that need to be unpacked in those 58 seconds of questions. There are a few things there. First off, I want to point out that New Brunswick has a growing wood supply. We are attracting forestry companies like Interfor, which has left British Columbia and has purchased lumber facilities in Belledune and Bathurst. Groupe Lebel has made a strategic investment in Plaster Rock. The forestry value chain, essentially those 18 mills… We have a

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 9 competitive industry because we have a growing wood supply, not a shrinking wood supply. The outlook that we have at DNR is of 80- and 100-year horizons. I will follow up in a second should the member have a follow-up question. Mr. Coon (Fredericton Lincoln, Leader, G): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We’re losing money from the sale of those Crown timber products, and that, too, interferes with our exports. The bleeding has to stop.

For example, we earn somewhere in the vicinity of $7 per tonne for Crown timber sold to the forest companies as pulpwood. According to Natural Resources Canada, the market price for kraft pulp on the export market is $2 160 per tonne, but we earn $7 per tonne. It takes two tonnes of pulpwood to produce one tonne of kraft pulp. That means we only see $14 in revenue for every tonne of kraft pulp, which would fetch more than $2 000 on the export market. If you do the math, we should be earning close to $54 for every tonne of pulpwood cut from Crown lands, not $7 per tonne.

Will the Minister of Finance and Treasury Board please take over responsibility for timber royalties so that we get a fair return on timber sales from Crown land? Hon. Mr. Herron (Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, Minister of Natural Resources, L): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. I am very heartened to have the opportunity to respond to that particular question. Let’s be very, very clear that the forestry value chain is the economic engine of this province. Mr. Deputy Speaker, you’re probably already aware that nearly $653 million of direct tax revenue comes from the forestry value chain.

That’s from roundwood, lumber, and chips, which are used with sawdust in residual markets, as well as pellets, pulp, and paper. Nearly $120 million of direct tax revenue also goes to municipalities. When it comes to the strength of the sector, New Brunswickers should be heartened by the fact that the only jurisdiction that has not had a closure or a large curtailment is New Brunswick. That is because we have a growing wood supply in this province. TOURISM Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. We’ll go back to tourism.

There was $1.6 million spent on a tourism partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays. The jerseys, which feature an American player, are currently being sold on eBay for $400 apiece. There were 15 000 of these jerseys handed out for free to people and paid for by New Brunswick taxpayers. How will the province ever prove that it has recouped its investment as a direct result of this giveaway? What was the cost of the jerseys? What was the cost of sending an army of people from Tourism to Toronto?

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 10 When you spend $2.4 million to lose 60 jobs in Sussex, put our farms and public food safety at risk by cutting provincial vets and the provincial lab, and then spend $1.6 million from our taxpayer dollars on free jerseys that people resell and make 100% profit on, Premier, you have a lot of explaining to do. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . Thank you for the question.

We were also asked this one during a meeting of the Standing Committee on Estimates and Fiscal Policy. In committee, I explained that, every year, the Blue Jays give away jerseys. So, no matter who their partner is, the team pays for the jerseys, then distributes them to visitors at the first game. So, we are simply fortunate that, this year, the #ExploreNB logo will be on the sleeve of the jersey. However, this issue isn’t up to us. The Blue Jays do the same thing every year. This year, #ExploreNB and New Brunswick were promoted at the first game. We’re very proud of that. It will be on the screen.

We will be able to see the logos on the screen. The y will also be put up in the stadium at the games. The jerseys are really the Blue Jays’ responsibility. [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. While this government was cutting tourism funding to rural New Brunswick and shuttering our historic sites, it somehow found $1.6 million for a partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays. What did New Brunswickers get for it? The first 15 000 fans through the gates received an Ernie Clement jersey, and Clement is American.

If the goal was to enrich the Toronto market, congratulations. Mission accomplished. Those jerseys, paid for by New Brunswick taxpayers, are now being sold by Ontarians on eBay for four times what they cost New Brunswick taxpayers to produce. The Ontario market is buying them, all right, but it is not buying plane tickets to come visit us. To the Premier: What metrics did this government put in place to measure the return on this $1.6-million investment? How many visits to Parlee Beach or the Village historique acadien will result?

Right now, the only people tracking results from this partnership are the eBay sellers watching their bids go up. New Brunswick taxpayers deserve an answer. Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . As I just explained, they aren’t our jerseys. They are not paid for by our government or by New Brunswick taxpayers. This event takes place every year and is fully organized and managed by the Blue Jays. The team distributes the jerseys.

This year, by signing our partnership, we had the opportunity to see our logo on the sleeve. There was

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 11 also a series of activations. This is all part of the five -year plan we launched last year to increase revenue in the tourism sector by $1 billion. Tourism is an extremely important economic driver in New Brunswick. It generates $2.7 billion in spinoffs, and we want to increase that to $3.7 billion. Our strategy includes 10 pillars on which we are basing our choices. These are strategic choices to inc rease revenue and showcase the province.

The partnership with the Toronto Blue Jays is one of them. Thank you. [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): This government has made one thing perfectly clear, which is that rural New Brunswick’s heritage does not matter to it. The government is closing down our provincial heritage sites in favour of spending $300 000 on other attractions with absolutely no data to indicate any benefit. Kids are back in school, the weather gets colder, and this government has no data to support these changes.

Our historic sites, our cultural landmarks, and the places that tell the story of who we are as a province are being shuttered—closed and locked up. Mr. Deputy Speaker, these government members were apparently very worried about rural ridings going red at the ballot box. Well, they found a way to add red to those communities after all. There is red on the closed signs now hanging on the doors of our rural historic sites. These communities built that heritage. They preserved it. They shared it with visitors from across this country and around the world. They deserve better than a locked door and a broken promise.

To the Premier: Will you reverse these cuts before the damage to our communities and our history becomes permanent? [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker . The heritage sector is important in New Brunswick, and most of the hundreds of heritage sites or buildings in New Brunswick are operated by local groups, volunteers, or local organizations. We are very grateful to them. However, during the 1970s and 1980s, the government of New Brunswick decided to acquire five sites. Four of these five sites get very few visitors.

We just want to give them back to communities, like the hundreds of other sites in the province that are ope rating and prospering. Our goal is really to have conversations with local administrations. The municipal elections took place yesterday, and we are looking forward to having discussions with the new municipal councils or the third parties that currently operate these sites. We want to determine how we can help them keep the sites open. Our goal is really to give the sites back to the communities. We want to help communities operate the heritage sites that are…

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 12 [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The narrative of the Holt government has been: one, take no responsibility for anything; two, blame anyone else; and three, repeat steps one and two. In a CBC

article posted on March 25, 2026, just a few weeks ago, the Minister of Tourism said that the contract for an AI chatbot was signed in 2023. However, after submitting an RTI request, we learned that the contract was signed on— wait for it—December 19, 2024, and renewed on February 1, 2026. Neither of these contracts were signed by the former government. The Premier is in a bit of a quandary here. On the one hand, she tries to portray herself as a champion against misinformation. On the other hand, she has stuck by her strategy of accepting no responsibility and blaming others—rinse and repeat.

To the Premier: Are you going to correct your minister’s misinformation, or are you going to double down on your strategy? Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . The implementation of the Explora initiative, a new strategy that several provinces are using to help visitors plan their trips, began under the former government and continued when we took office. There was some overlap, but the departmental staff handled it throughout the process, and we decided to continue with the initiative.

As I said, it is already being used in several provinces and regions. This is a tool that helps visitors plan their trips. The tool helps them plan their trips to New Brunswick. So, what happened is that, suddenly, there were a lot of questions that weren’t about tourism. For example: Who is the Prime Minister of Canada? There were questions like that that just didn’t make any sense. The tool isn’t there to answer questions. It is n’t ChatGPT , and it isn’t there to answer all kinds of questions. It’s really a tool to help visitors who are considering coming to New Brunswick.

It’s a tool they can use to find the right resources. [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): There was no answer there, Mr. Deputy Speaker. The Liberals not only blamed the former government, which is step two in their strategy, but also showed their usual state of unawareness. In the same article, the minister said that the choice of an American company was made before the Liberal government was elected, so she could not speak to why an American company was chosen over New Brunswick ones.

A spokesperson later clarified that “there isn’t a Canadian company” offering what Matador Network’s AI model can.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 13 The Holt government’s pattern of behaviour continues, Mr. Deputy Speaker, from the government members blaming Agropur for not telling them that it was going to cut 60 jobs in Sussex, to blaming farmers for not paying enough to use the provincial vet service and blaming the former government for a contract that it did not sign. Will the Premier get on her feet and explain why this keeps happening? Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms.

Thériault (Caraquet, Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, L): Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . As I explained, there was some overlap between the two governments. These kinds of overlaps are in several files, divisions, and departments. We decided to continue using the tool, which is quite practical for those who want to plan a trip. The goal is to help visitors plan their trips and steer them toward the right resou rces, including the New Brunswick tourism site and other related sites. Now, the Leader of the Official Opposition is trying to teach us a lesson, as though we couldn’t invest in people at home.

Mr. Deputy Speaker, I am going to tell you something: the Department of Tourism, Heritage and Culture has done more work in six month s than the former government did in six years. We invested in New Brunswick resources, we tabled the Status of the Artist Act, we published the Tourism Strategy, and we published the Physical Activity Strategy. We’re working hard, and we are on the ground. We’re travelling throughout the province, which you were never able to do because you were never able to build connections with voters. That’s why you are on the opposition side. [Original] Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): I’m not going to touch that, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Here’s the Holt government’s track record on tourism so far. There is a give with one hand while taking even more with the other approach to fees for our parks, and a $1.6-million deal with the Blue Jays with no data on when or if we will ever see that money back. There is misinformation and blame for contracts the government members signed.

Sheriff Andrews House in Saint Andrew is closing, Doak House Provincial Park in Doaktown is closing, North Lake Provincial Park in Lakeland Ridges is closing, Cape Enrage in Fundy Albert is closing, and the Anchorage Provincial Park in Grand Manan is under threat of closing. All these locations are in Tory ridings, Mr. Deputy Speaker. Will the Premier get on her feet and deny that she is targeting Tory ridings with closures out of political revenge? [Translation] Hon. Mr. Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for La Francophonie, L): Thank you very much, Mr. Deputy Speaker.

One thing that is very clear

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 14 here is that, for two years now, thanks to the Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture, New Brunswick is being recognized around the world. She deserves a warm round of applause from her colleagues. The former Minister of Tourism, Heritage and Culture travelled overseas, to Europe, and what did she do? She said inaccurate things about New Brunswick.

She said that Saint John was the capital of New Brunswick and that people just had to visit Cherry Broo k Zoo, despite it shutting down five years ago. Mr. Deputy Speaker , one thing particularly struck a chord with me. The members opposite say they are there to protect rural regions. Which government wanted to close rural emergency rooms? I was in Sussex when the government wanted to close the emergency room. Not one Conservative member was in Sussex. [Original] Mr. Deputy Speaker: Order. Order. [Translation] Hon. Mr.

Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for La Francophonie, L): Yes, there was one, and last time, he ran for us, because he couldn ’t put up with you any longer. Thank you, Mr. Deputy Speaker . [Original] Mr. Deputy Speaker: This concludes question period.