Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 1 June 6, 2025 CONTENTS GOVERNMENT AGENDA Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie ACCESS TO INFORMATION Hon. Mr. Gauvin Mr. Savoie Hon. Mr. Gauvin PUBLIC SAFETY Mr. Lee Hon. Mr. Gauvin

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 2 FERRIES Mr. Lee COMMUNITY CARE CLINICS Ms. Scott-Wallace Hon. Mr. Dornan Ms. Scott-Wallace Hon. Mr. Dornan NATURAL RESOURCES Mr. Monahan Hon. Mr. Herron INFRASTRUCTURE Mr. Oliver Hon. C. Chiasson Mr. Oliver Hon. C. Chiasson Mr. Oliver Hon. C. Chiasson SHALE GAS Mr. Savoie Mr. Savoie Hon. Mr. Kennedy Point of Order Ms. M. Johnson Hon. Ms. Holt

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 3 [Translation] GOVERNMENT AGENDA Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Good morning to you, Madam Speaker. Today, my first questions will be for the Premier. My questions will be about her work related to the First Ministers’ Meeting. [Original] I would like to ask the Premier how she made out with her focus on the expansion at Base Gagetown, the fair shake on immigration numbers, or the financial help to build health care infrastructure.

I would like to know what commitments she actually succeeded with, where she can come back and tell the House that we are getting what it is she went after. What firm commitments does she have on the priorities that she went out there with? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Thank you very much to the member opposite for the opportunity to talk about how New Brunswick fared with regard to the federal government’s desire to identify nation-building projects and to place priority on the areas in which we’re ready to move. The member opposite listed three specific things that actually find themselves in different aspects of the federal government’s work. In Saskatoon, we talked about how we can bring this country together in the face of President Trump’s tariffs and strengthen our nation and our relationships with other countries.

There were five priority projects identified, and New Brunswick features in four of them. In the eastern energy partnership, critical minerals pathway, next-stage nuclear, and export diversification initiatives, we see projects that will benefit New Brunswickers from Belledune to Saint John, in places where we have mineral development and the opportunity to generate new nuclear power to support many places in our region and beyond. New Brunswick did— Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker.

That was a minute-long answer when the one-word answer would have been “zero”. She came back with zero commitments—zero commitments on the things she said she was going to fight for—but I digress. What I’m trying to get at is that we have a Premier who went there with her agenda, come back with nothing in terms of hard commitments for the province, yet wants to talk about nation-building projects. Now, she’s been all over the place on some of these projects. Back in her business council days, she believed in shale gas and talked about the benefits.

Then, she got into work under Brian Gallant’s leadership and decided that shale gas and natural gas were bad. Now she

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 4 has talked to the federal government because that changed all of a sudden. Having a pipeline through this province is a nation-building project, and it’s great for New Brunswick. I’d like her to explain exactly how a pipeline that runs through New Brunswick and exports from our terminal is financially beneficial for the province. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

You can forgive my surprise, because it’s not clear to me whether the member opposite is in support of the kind of natural gas infrastructure that will help businesses in New Brunswick such as the Port of Belledune, Twin Rivers, and AV Nackawic. The residents of New Brunswick would get access to a stable and friendlier version of energy for their homes. It’s not clear to me, but I want to make a couple of other things clear. We went to Saskatchewan and walked away with a commitment to the eastern energy partnership that is going to benefit New Brunswickers and mean a tangible investment in our province.

You heard the member behind me talk about Simms Corner, a tangible project that the member opposite would well know has been bothering the residents of Saint John for some time and is only going to get worse. We got the commitment we needed to move forward on a project like that. New Brunswickers are going to hear good news on immigration. They’re going to hear good news on federal health care partnerships coming forward shortly. The meeting in Saskatoon was to talk about New Brunswick’s place in the nation, which is stronger than ever right now. Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. The government members must have gotten their rest last night. They’re awake this morning. You know, Madam Speaker, the hypocrisy in terms of this government’s policy approach is funny. For years, we’ve had many natural gas debates in this Chamber. Many Liberals have said on many occasions that there was no business case and no market for natural gas.

As a matter of fact, we have a Premier who is on record accusing the former Premier of looking in the rear-view mirror and saying that we need more renewable sources. All of a sudden, she’s all on board with a pipeline that goes right through this province, ends at a terminal, and leaves. These are resources that are being pulled from somewhere else. Does she support Alberta’s natural gas industry? Albertans have one of two choices. They either drill it or frack it. Does she support that industry in Alberta? Thank you, Madam Speaker.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 5 [Translation] Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. [Original] I think the conversation about hypocrisy when it comes to natural gas is pretty rich coming from members on the other side who didn’t have it in their platform and did nothing about it in their six years other than try to use it as a bribe for First Nations and an attempt to cover up a relationship that was abysmal.

Our government is actively advancing connections with the rest of Canada that will benefit New Brunswickers. We’re actively developing projects like wind projects, biofuel projects, hydrogen projects, and nuclear projects that are going to help deliver non-emitting, affordable, reliable energy to New Brunswickers, something they tell us is their number- one priority. We’re doing it in a way that is going to benefit Canada and New Brunswick, and we’re doing it in a way that New Brunswickers want.

I’d be interested to know whether the member wants to tell the people in his riding that he’s against the kinds of projects that would bring jobs and support to the city of Saint John and investment in his own riding. Is that something that he’s against? Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): I believe that in the media training world, that’s called reframing a narrative, Madam Speaker. She’s trying to reframe a narrative to deflect from the historical fact that her party, which she worked for and was part of, put a moratorium on shale gas, a moratorium on natural gas development.

We have trillions of cubic metres of gas under our feet. The members opposite would rather pipe in a pipeline because of their NIMBY policies—not-in-my-backyard policies— that say that it’s okay for Alberta to profit from its natural resource development, but not New Brunswick. They’ll pipe it through, Alberta will get the benefit, but we’ll stand pat, because they don’t want to take a stand. There’s something here beneath our feet that could benefit New Brunswickers, and she knows full well that we have always been on the side of development in this province.

We’ve always been on the side of making sure that New Brunswick is as prosperous as it can be. With a $600-million deficit, you think she’d get on board and develop our resources here. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I didn’t hear a question in the Leader of the Official Opposition’s words, so I would like to take this opportunity to explain

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 6 why New Brunswick is in the best position in the world to seize the opportunity to strengthen ties with our neighbouring provinces and Western Canada, where there is a lot of gas that the provinces want to share with us. The western Canadian provinces want to have access to the rest of the world. We are here to have a conversation because, in my heart, I am interested in projects that will have a positive impact on New Brunswickers.

Perhaps the Leader of the Official Opposition wants to score political points, but I am more interested in what will grow our economy and make our lives more affordable. Our team is working tirelessly to promote New Brunswick’s interests in Canada and around the world. People want to establish partnerships with us because we have the Port of Saint John and the Port of Belledune. We have promoted the progress of our province by working together at the national level. [Original] Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): You know, Madam Speaker, she’s interested in nation-building projects, but what about a province- building project? It was the Liberals who put a moratorium on shale gas development in this province, a government that she was part of and supported. We have her on record as saying that she’s “not interested in yesterday’s energy sources”. She said that the former Premier was looking in the rear-view mirror. She’s sitting in the same seat. She’s sitting at the same desk. She’s obviously now looking in the same rear-view mirror as the former Premier.

I’m going to ask a question that is very direct, since the Premier felt the last one wasn’t. Is she going to continue her NIMBY—not in my backyard—policies? We know that natural gas can only be sourced by two methods, drilling or fracking. Is she willing to accept that from another jurisdiction but not willing to do the work necessary here to improve New Brunswick’s fiscal position, considering the reckless spending that the government is doing in this province? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms.

Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I’m not sure if the member opposite knows whether he’s coming or going. First, he says it’s reckless spending, and in the next breath, he asks us to spend more and spend more. He says that he doesn’t think we should be partnering with Alberta for natural gas, and then he says, no, he thinks we should be developing gas everywhere.

With this kind of head-spinning, position-twisting movement from the Leader of the Official Opposition, I’m going to take the opportunity to build on something he said. He wanted examples of where New Brunswick is doing province-building projects, and I’ll tell you exactly where, because the previous government had no success with this: improving

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 7 access to health care for New Brunswickers. The members opposite promised health care clinics all over this province. They didn’t get one done in Sussex. They didn’t get one done in St. Stephen. They couldn’t get one done in Fredericton. They couldn’t get one done in Campbellton. In the 200 days that we’ve been in government, we’ve advanced family health teams in Fredericton, in Lamèque, in Tantramar… (Interjections.) Hon. Ms.

Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Did you say “time”? Ha. I can keep going, because there’s also Carleton North. We’re going to continue to advance those collaborative care projects. Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker. In the Premier’s media training, that was called “pivoting”. At the end of day, what we’re looking for here is to show New Brunswickers that this government is willing to take natural gas… That is something that the government members were vehemently opposed to, Madam Speaker.

They were vehemently opposed to having a natural gas sector and industry in this province. So, it’s hypocrisy from a policy perspective that they’re willing to take natural gas from the West but not willing to develop it here. They derided the former Premier for his support of it as a transition fuel, and now look at what this Premier is talking about. Madam Speaker, I’m going to ask the Premier to get on her feet and be clear. We have always been supportive of a natural gas industry in this province—done here, for the benefit of New Brunswickers here.

Does she support lifting her own party’s moratorium on natural gas development, which was in its policy convention, in this province? Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I think the member opposite has just articulated the reason that New Brunswickers lost faith in his members. He said that they always supported this development, but did they get it done? No. Our government is pragmatic. We’re looking at what’s in front of us and what opportunities will benefit New Brunswick.

New Brunswick has the opportunity to develop nuclear power. New Brunswick has been successful in developing wind projects in partnerships with First Nations and Saint John Energy. New Brunswick has exciting opportunities to move forward in solar, as we’re seeing in Shediac. We also have opportunities to take advantage of the resources that Canada has already developed and unlocked for the benefit of our province. We’re looking at what we can do tomorrow, where the investment opportunity exists, what’s going to benefit New Brunswickers, and how we can use our strengths to succeed nationally and internationally.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 8 That’s why I was really excited to see the federal government chose New Brunswick in its priorities with next-stage nuclear and with export diversification initiatives to support our Eastern Energy Partnership that’s going to give the benefit of New Brunswick’s resources to New Brunswickers. Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): In the media-training world, that’s called a non-answer, Madam Speaker. [Translation] ACCESS TO INFORMATION Madam Speaker, last week, we asked questions about the registry of lobbyists that were based on information we obtained from an access to information request under the Act. My question is about a request for information that our office submitted to the Department of Public Safety to find out whether the minister had been involved in reissuing the bingo license for Bois-Blanc in Hautes-Terres.

After a one-month wait, the department asked us for an extension. Since the minister had only been in office for three or four months when the license was reissued, can he explain why his department needs so much time to gather the documents about his role in the file? Did he play such a big role in this matter? Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Hon. Mr. Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for la Francophonie, L): Thank you very much. Thank you for the question.

I think the people of Bois-Blanc… There was an unused community centre in Bois-Blanc, where nothing was going on. I asked if, from a legal standpoint, something was preventing the people of Bois- Blanc, whom I had never met, from getting a license. I was told there was absolutely no legal obstacle. The department issued a license that was valid for three or four months. The people of Bois-Blanc now have four months to show that they can do things properly. If everything goes well, they will keep the license; otherwise, they will lose it. Everything was done by the rules.

I asked if there were legal reasons that prevented the department from issuing the license. I was told no. I didn’t play a prior role in the license issuing process. I’m very pleased that the people of Bois-Blanc will have the opportunity to enjoy their community centre, playing bingo, and to improve community spirit. As long as our government is there to help New Brunswick communities, we will not hesitate to defend our decisions. The centre was empty. Something needed to be done. There’s nothing illegal in what was done.

The centre will continue to be used by the people of Bois-Blanc, who will go there to enjoy what New Brunswick has to offer. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Madam Speaker, the license was revoked by a judge through a legal process. So, who, exactly, reissued the

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 9 license to the individual who had lost it through a legal process? Was it the minister? If it wasn’t him, who exactly was it? Hon. Mr. Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for la Francophonie, L): I will answer first by thanking you for the question. This question should be addressed to the department. When we received the application for the license, we asked if there were any legal issues that prevented the department from issuing the license.

Was there something illegal about issuing the license? I wanted to ask civil servants, because our government values civil servants working in every department. There are three or four people on the opposition side who worked in the Department of Public Safety. Are they questioning the ability of civil servants in the Department of Public Safety to provide accurate information to the minister representing them? Are opposition members suggesting that civil servants in the Department of Public Safety would dare propose something like that without asking for legal advice?

Madam Speaker, the line of questioning is very dangerous. I would advise the opposition to be very careful. Again, our government is very pleased that the people of Bois-Blanc can enjoy the community centre in their region. The centre was unoccupied. I repeat that the license issued is valid for four months. The license holders have four months to prove themselves. Nothing illegal has been done. Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Original] PUBLIC SAFETY Mr. Lee (Fundy-The Isles-Saint John Lorneville, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’m switching gears a little bit.

With the summer season upon us, many New Brunswickers will undoubtedly be enjoying a myriad of outside activities, particularly the enjoyment that comes from interacting with New Brunswick’s numerous bodies of water. Constituents of mine have been asking questions about our lakes, rivers, and tributaries. While some residents live near those bodies of water, others enjoy family times of boating, sea-dooing, fishing, water-skiing, sunbathing, canoeing, and even birdwatching from a different perspective. However, there is a concern about those bodies of water within the riding and even provincially.

The question is this: How are those bodies of water going to be policed? The amount of boating traffic has increased. Improper boating safety practices are exponentially growing. Operator criteria for boats is not being enforced, and there is an increase in people operating a water vehicle while under the influence.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 10 My question to the honourable Minister of Public Safety is this: Who is responsible for policing our bodies of water, and what enhancements are being done to ensure a safe season on our provincial lakes and rivers? [Translation] Hon. Mr. Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for La Francophonie, L): There are law enforcement officers who are dedicated to this work.

I will be happy to talk with the member opposite to give him more details in response to his question. We want New Brunswickers to be able to make the most of all the opportunities our province offers. We always want people to be safe. We will certainly be part of the conversation about everything regarding public safety. We are always happy to have conversations about safety. You know, Madam Speaker, New Brunswick has a number of rivers and many marinas. People can enjoy themselves in many places, but attention must be paid to ensuring that there is always someone there policing. We will keep doing this work.

Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Original] FERRIES Mr. Lee (Fundy-The Isles-Saint John Lorneville, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker. Listen, my riding, bias aside, is one of the true gems of the province. We possess great bodies of water, beautiful landscapes, and two very unique and special islands. However, my concerns, which are also expressed by some of my constituents, are with the ongoing issues with our ferries. The Deer Island ferries have ongoing issues with performance, maintenance, lineups, and limitations because of contracts with companies. Simply put, the Grand Manan ferries have issues with scheduling.

There is a desperate need to extend the supplemental season with the Grand Manan V. It is always busy, but the Grand Manan V doesn’t come online until the end of the month—late June—which is too late. My question to the honourable Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure is this: In addition to road maintenance, construction, bridges, culverts, and buildings, is the department having ongoing discussions about enhancing the capability and reliability of the Deer Island ferry service and extending the supplemental season with the Grand Manan V and the Grand Manan ferry service? Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms.

Landry): I would like— (Interjections.)

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 11 Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms. Landry): We don’t have points of order in question period. I would just like to remind members that you have to ask questions subsequent to your first question, so that question will not be allowed. COMMUNITY CARE CLINICS Ms. Scott-Wallace (Sussex-Three Rivers, PC): Thank you. Well, Madam Speaker, the Premier is going to have a hard time convincing the people of Sussex that she has moved mountains in health care, as has been promised over the past eight months.

To another part of my riding, the community of Three Rivers has been patiently awaiting its new community health centre. In fact, it has been 25 years. It has been a year this month since $21 million was announced to build this new facility in Petitcodiac so that residents would have access to improved health care and professionals would have access to a modern and more functional workspace equipped to provide safe and quality care. Construction was set to begin in May, but, so far, we’re seeing no activity on the site. Can the minister give the community an update on this project? Hon. Mr.

Dornan (Saint John Portland-Simonds, Minister of Health, L): Madam Speaker, to the member opposite, our RHAs, Horizon in particular, are responsible for community health centres. We have opened these in many places across the province—almost 40 of them. Petitcodiac is one of those areas that warrants attention. In our new collaborative care clinic format, we are hoping that more people and clinicians, nurse practitioners, pharmacists, and physicians, will get together to push us and help us establish a clinic. We can’t build a clinic when we don’t have a team that’s willing to work there.

Yes, Horizon and Health are working toward doing that. I can’t give you a start date at this point, but we recognize the need. It’s a community that could do better with collaborative care. Thank you. Ms. Scott-Wallace (Sussex-Three Rivers, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker. That team you speak of signed an agreement and this project was announced. The community is wondering what is going on. Tenders were to be awarded for the new health centre in April with construction starting in May. It was scheduled to be opened in April 2026. That was the commitment. By the look of ground, the centre is already behind schedule.

Now I’m getting information indicating that it will not open until April 2027. I feel a little uncomfortable with what the minister is saying because I’m not sure whether it’s happening at all. Can the minister assure the community of Three Rivers that it will have its new health centre by 2026 as promised? So far, it’s not looking very promising.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 12 Hon. Mr. Dornan (Saint John Portland-Simonds, Minister of Health, L): Madam Speaker, to the member opposite, I am sorry if I was not clear. Your community will have a clinic. It will have it within our mandate. Three Rivers is one of the communities that we are committed to. You can take that back to the people who live in this community. We are quite concerned about their care. We have committed. We have started. We will finish, and it will be within our mandate. Thank you. NATURAL RESOURCES Mr.

Monahan (Arcadia-Butternut Valley-Maple Hills, PC): On April 8, during the main estimates, I questioned the Minister of Natural Resources about this government’s plan to develop our province’s critical mineral sector, an issue made even more pressing by the escalating U.S. trade war. I specifically raised the issue of the dormant Nutrien site in Penobsquis, a facility that once represented a $1.7-billion investment and holds untapped strategic potential that could drive long-term prosperity for our region and the province as a whole.

At the time, the minister assured this House that he would directly engage with Nutrien by June 1 to explore scenarios for revitalizing the site. Madam Speaker, the people of Sussex and beyond deserve more than promises. They deserve action, clarity, and leadership. I ask the minister: Did you follow through on that commitment? What is your government’s plan for unlocking the economic potential of the Penobsquis site? Hon. Mr. Herron (Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, Minister of Natural Resources, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

I want to tell this House that I share the member’s desire to unlock the potential that is dormant in that facility. I made the commitment that I would indeed engage with the company before June 1. A number of weeks ago, DNR staff members and I were actually underground in that mine, meeting with the company. Officials came from Saskatchewan so that we could have the first of many dialogues in terms of what the potential of that asset is. Madam Speaker, it is going to be a very complex discussion. Unfortunately, the previous government signed a 21-year lease on that particular facility.

That is going to make it that much more difficult for us to be able to unlock that project. However, we are going to engage the company and say: That’s a New Brunswick resource. It can actually create wealth for the province. Use it or lose it. That will be the dialogue. INFRASTRUCTURE Mr. Oliver (Kings Centre, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’d like to ask the Minister of DTI a couple of questions regarding funding in his department. Could the minister advise

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 13 the members how decisions are made in regard to the designated highway budget? There are municipalities all over this province that are looking for upgrades to their roads. I know the amount of funding has increased this year. I would just like to know how the department makes those decisions. Sometimes, when we look at the asset management system, we see that we are working on roads that are in good shape to the detriment of roads that are not in good shape.

I just wonder where the money is spent and how the department makes those decisions. Hon. C. Chiasson (Grand Falls—Vallée-des-Rivières—Saint-Quentin, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, L): Thank you, Madam Speaker. As it pertains to the provincial-municipal designated road program, one of the first things the previous government did back in 2018 was slash that program to $10 million. What did that lead to? It led to many other roads deteriorating over a period of time because the government was only able to do half a dozen projects per year, maybe.

Now, the former government later brought it up to $15 million, and subsequently, the year before the election, it brought it up to $25 million, which is where it stands today. For the most part, those decisions are made using asset management. Sometimes emergencies pop up that we have to deal with. However, things are mostly done using asset management. Sometimes people are looking and say: Oh, the government is fixing that road, but it doesn’t need to be fixed because we have one right next to it that has deteriorated badly.

The reason we fix that one is so that it doesn’t deteriorate as badly as the other one has. That’s— Mr. Oliver (Kings Centre, PC): I would also like to know which projects I can congratulate the minister on at the end of his term. Are we looking at sidewalks on the Centennial Bridge over the mighty Miramichi, the completion of the bridge in Florenceville-Bristol, or the long-awaited bridge in Shippagan? That’s a project that, now, with the provincial and federal governments aligned, we may see.

I am just wondering whether the minister is going to continue with the projects that are already ongoing, or are we going to start a new project to satisfy the needs? Hon. C. Chiasson (Grand Falls—Vallée-des-Rivières—Saint-Quentin, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, L): Really, Madam Speaker, I am smiling because I find it comical. Members opposite kicked project after project down the road. Regarding sidewalks on the bridge, the previous minister knew full well in 2024 that the cost of the sidewalk would be $50 million or more. He said he didn’t want to talk about it.

He said: I don’t want to talk about it. Madam Speaker, leading up to the election in 2024, there was $13 million spent by the previous government on the Lamèque-Shippagan bridge just to keep it on life support so that government wouldn’t have to do anything on it. Project after project was kicked down

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 14 the road. Now, we are left to pick up the pieces. It is something we will do. We will finish the Centennial Bridge. We will have a plan for the Lamèque-Shippagan bridge. Madam Speaker, we will move this province forward. Mr. Oliver (Kings Centre, PC): Maybe I can get an answer to this question.

In addition to the road maintenance and construction on bridges and culverts, has the department had any ongoing discussions on how best to enhance the capabilities and reliability of the Deer Island ferry service as well as the extension to the supplemental season with the Grand Manan V and Grand Manan ferry service? Hon. C. Chiasson (Grand Falls—Vallée-des-Rivières—Saint-Quentin, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, L): What I can tell you about the ferry service is that we are in the process of enhancing our river ferry service.

As a matter of fact, we are working right now to put out a tender for a brand new river ferry to help supplement the ongoing river ferry system. I am really, really proud to say that we are looking at a hybrid system that will be a combination of electric and diesel. We are being responsible. We are looking for ways to cut our emissions. On the Campobello ferry, we are looking at ways we can make things a little easier for it and try to provide it with some kind of relief due to the tariff situation. Those discussions are ongoing.

As a matter of fact, I will be travelling to Campobello in the next week or so to meet with the mayor and discuss possible solutions to the issues he faces with border security. Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms. Landry): For the last question, I recognize the Leader of the Official Opposition. [Translation] SHALE GAS Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. (Interjections.) [Original] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Yes, exactly. It is not time yet, so I will ask one more question.

It’s been very clear this morning that the Liberals are trying to reframe their position on things. Through their convention, they very clearly have a moratorium on shale gas. We know the Liberals’ history as a former government. We know the Premier, even before her

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 15 time in politics, was supportive. I think her study was $90 000, and there was about $21 million per well that was estimated. We know she is willing to bring in Alberta gas to New Brunswick and pipe it through with very little benefit to this province. Will she lift the shale gas moratorium, the ban, here in New Brunswick so that we can profit from this resource, just like every other resource we have in this province?

Then, New Brunswick could be a have province and could be part of real nation building, as we would be a prosperous province. [Translation] Hon. Mr. Kennedy (Quispamsis, Minister of Local Government ; Minister responsible for Service New Brunswick, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. [Original] On this last day of the Legislative session, I think it’s important that I stand up and answer the last question. The Leader of the Opposition, who is my critic for Local Government, hasn’t asked very many questions of me throughout this session.

I think that’s because he is very much supportive of the fiscal reform package we’ve brought through for municipalities. There is $63 million more for municipalities in 2026 than in 2025. That was a file that he started, but then he punted it. I think the reason for that was that last year, around this time, he was the Minister of Local Government, but he was also the Government House Leader. His government was imploding around him. Conservative MLAs were fleeing the fold. They were heading for home faster than a third base runner on a shortstop bobble.

At the same time, this Premier was bringing this amazing team together. That’s why we are on this side and they are on that side. Thank you very much. Point of Order Ms. M. Johnson (Carleton-Victoria, PC): I’m afraid I have a point of order, Madam Speaker. Respectfully, I must point out that the Premier, in one of her responses, alleged bribery on the part of the previous government, putting its reputation into disrepute. It’s unparliamentary. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): I retract the statement. Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms.

Landry): It is retracted.