New Brunswick Hansard — content house business 61 2 qp transcripts Oral Questions Questions orales 2026 06 12.ang

content house business 61 2 qp transcripts Oral Questions Questions orales 2026-06-12.ang

New Brunswick — Debates (Hansard)

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 1 June 12, 2026 CONTENTS VIRTUAL CARE Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt COLLABORATIVE CARE CLINICS Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie VETERINARY SERVICES Hon. Ms. Holt Mr. Savoie

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 2 SENIORS Hon. Ms. Boudreau Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Boudreau Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Boudreau Mr. Savoie Hon. Mr. Gauvin Hon. Mr. Gauvin Mr. Savoie MENTAL HEALTH Hon. Mr. McKee, K.C. Mr. Savoie NATURAL GAS Hon. Mr. Herron Mr. Savoie Hon. Mr. Randall Hon. Mr. Randall Mr. Savoie Hon. Mr. Herron Mr. Savoie Hon. Ms. Holt

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 3 [Translation] VIRTUAL CARE Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker . Good morning. [Original] Madam Speaker, yesterday, I listened with interest to the interview with our member for Woodstock-Hartland, our opposition Health Critic. Members of the official opposition have been vocal on behalf of New Brunswickers who are rightly worried about this move to Foundever by the Holt government.

The member is asking for everyone to share with him and the Premier their experiences with Foundever. I know the Premier will see the responses because she creeps the member for Woodstock-Hartland on Facebook. When all of this goes sideways, as we know it will, what will the Premier have to say to the people whom she has failed with their virtual health care? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

Look, after six years of neglect of the province’s health care system, our government has made it our number one priority to make sure that New Brunswickers have access to the care that they need, in their communities, from the right person, at the right time. That’s why, in partnership with the folks who deliver virtual care in New Brunswick, we put together a request for proposal (RFP) to improve the service. New Brunswickers need access. That RFP saw 11 different companies respond with competitive bids, and that gave us the opportunity to put forward Virtual Care NB.

It is going to improve virtual care in New Brunswick. New Brunswickers will be able to get an appointment rather than sitting and waiting for the afternoon, and people will be directed to the right care, whether that be with a counsellor, a nurse practitioner, or someone else. It’s an integrated solution that is going to mean better health care for New Brunswickers. That is what drives this government every day—making sure that every New Brunswicker has access to a health care professional in this province. Thank you. [Translation] COLLABORATIVE CARE CLINICS Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker .

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 4 [Original] Today is the last day of the session before this government runs away and hides for the summer. However, yesterday was a very bad day for the government, with the Premier’s 13-point drop in approval. She habitually has not gotten up for question period, but the largest drop in popularity in Canada must have shocked her into action.

She must have had a lot of pent-up frustration about the loss, because when the member for Saint Croix expressed her concern that the collaborative care clinic announced by the Holt government has yet to come to pass, the Premier’s true colours shone through. Without her mike on, she jeered: Would you like to lose it? There she was, the vengeful Premier we’ve been talking about for the past few weeks. This Premier has talked a lot about holding to higher expectations.

Does the Premier believe that her threat to take away a collaborative care clinic from a duly elected member of this Legislative Assembly, who has the right to question the actions of government, was the right thing to do? Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I’m going to repeat what I said yesterday.

I was surprised to hear that the member opposite didn’t want a collaborative care clinic in her riding and that she didn’t want to acknowledge the progress we are making in establishing a new clinic in a new building and in recruiting new health care professionals when all New Brunswickers in all corners of our province are calling for services and assistance. Our government is working tirelessly to retain our doctors and nurses. It has signed new contracts that recognize the value and importance of their work. The province has seen the highest increase in the number of health care professionals in history.

More nurses and doctors have been recruited. A total of 468 new nurses have been recruited above and beyond the number of nurses who have retired, and this recruitment stems from the respect our government shows them. Some regions in the province are asking for more doctors and nurses, and, if some opposition members don’t want them, we will send them — Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker .

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 5 [Original] The Premier just got her report card, and she received the biggest drop in the country. Her actions before question period yesterday show why New Brunswickers’ patience has worn out. They know who she is now. The collaborative care clinic for Saint Croix was announced on November 25, 2025. The stated opening date was spring 2026. That date has now been pushed back. Not a thing is happening at the site right now. There isn’t a worker or a sheet of drywall there. There’s nothing.

The place is as empty as it has ever been. Now the vengeful, not-ready-to-govern Premier has threatened to take the clinic away. Will the Premier commit to the people of Saint Croix that, despite her immature outburst from yesterday, their clinic will not be taken way? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Certainly, our government hears from New Brunswickers who want to see these clinics in their communities.

That’s why we’ve moved at a record pace to get 16 of them going in the first 18 months we’ve been in power. I’m happy to tell the people of St. Stephen that, even if their MLA is pushing against this, our government is committed to delivering that clinic. We have plans in place for the renovations. The work is mapped out to get that space ready to go. It’s going to be a brand- new clinic with new health care professionals recruited to the area. The municipality of St. Stephen has been an excellent partner in this work.

Its people have been helping us to recruit, and we’ve been working really collaboratively with them on this work. That collaboration is really important, and it’s something we didn ’t see in the past. After six years of neglected relationships in the health care system, our government is working with community leaders and real estate folks to get these clinics open and to recruit staff to serve the people— [Translation] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you, Madam Speaker . [Original] On November 25, 2025, the announcement was made for the collaborative care clinic for St.

Stephen. In an interview on the same day, the Premier said the clinic would be open in early 2026.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 6 “We’ll get the lease signed, we’ll get it renovated, and we’ll have people in before the snow melts,” Holt said. When asked why announce it before the clinic was ready, Holt said it is to reassure the public. Early 2026 came and went with nothing done—nothing—so the very diligent member for Saint Croix went digging for an update. She found that the first patient day is planned for mid-January 2027.

We had a big announcement, but the radically transparent Premier would not give the update that the clinic is now opening in mid-January 2027. As of yesterday, there was still nothing happening. Then the Premier threatened the member for Saint Croix that she would take it away. Can the Premier ask the people of Saint Croix whether they find her threat to take away their clinic reassuring? [Translation] Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

I understand that people want to see things move forward, and that’s what I want, too. I may want more than anyone else in the province to see things move forward much faster. That’s why we were there… I want to say to people in the St. Stephen area that we have added even more health care professionals. We have taken people off the waiting list thanks to the new resources we have established in a very overcrowded space. We can serve more and more people now, though. So, we see an improvement in the services provided to people in the region.

We will insist that renovations be done in the new space our government has chosen. After six years of inaction in the St. Stephen area, our government has added health care professionals, taken people off the waiting list, and chosen a new clinic. We will do our best as quickly as possible so that the clinic can open to serve people in the region. Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker . [Original] We have political revenge closures and now direct threats from the Premier against the member for Saint Croix, and let’s not forget the people of Saint Croix. I’ve said it, and I’ll say it again: This government gives the most compelling and best arguments for why it should not be in government. This Premier is losing the confidence of the people of New Brunswick. Would she trade her 13-point slide in the polls for a tray of $18 hotdogs?

Things like that are why she’s going down in popularity faster than a surplus gets turned into a deficit under a Liberal budget. Her own actions are causing the loss in popularity and

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 7 the loss of confidence in her and her government. Where are the feelings and emotions now, Premier? No one cares about your feelings. They just want to know their Premier is not vengeful enough to petulantly cancel health care for their region. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

I’ll remind the folks on the other side that they committed to the folks in Saint Croix in 2022 that they would build a clinic. They served in government for four years thereafter, and we saw zero progress. Our government has been in power for 18 months, and we have added health care professionals to the region and taken people off the list. We got a lease for the perfect space in collaboration with the municipality. The renovations are happening to get that space ready to serve people. Less than two years into our term, the area of St.

Stephen and Saint Croix is going to see the clinic that the members opposite promised more than four years ago. Our government is moving and taking action to improve health care in this province. We’re doing so collaboratively with nurse practitioners and physicians. We have signed fair contracts with every union we have a relationship with. We’re not going to stop. Sometimes, it takes longer than we had hoped, but we have accountability measures in place that are transparent to New Brunswickers. We also— Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Announcements are not actions, Madam Speaker. VETERINARY SERVICES Madam Speaker, when it came to the devastating cut to the provincial lab and vet services, I said it was a political calculation by the Premier. There simply were not enough farmers to make a difference for her electorally. Now, with her largest-in-the-country 13-point slide, it is clear her calculations were incorrect. However, there is hope for the calculating Premier. She could retake the exam and try to increase her score.

She could still back away from the cuts to the provincial vet lab and vet services and try to stop her precipitous slide down the polls. Will the Premier back away from her disastrous cut to the provincial vet lab and vet services and finally do the right thing for the people she didn’t care about right up until this poll came out? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Our government puts significant value on the agricultural sector of New Brunswick.

That’s why, actually, for the first time, after six years of neglect, we’re investing money in the agricultural sector. The new agriculture growth strategy was developed in partnership with the alliance, and it’s going to see millions of dollars invested in the growth of this sector.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 8 I don’t know how many times I’ve already said it in this House, but I’ll say again that the provincial vet labs are not closing. Our pathologists are staying in place. We will continue to offer the important services of diagnosis, vaccines, and disease prevention and will continue to ensure food security in this province. Important work is being done there.

We are also working on a smooth transition from publicly funded vet services to a private sector that is chomping at the bit to bring innovation and better services to this sector in New Brunswick and to all the animal lovers who want to see that access available on April 1. If we want to talk about scores, our government has done what no other government has done. We have put measures out there in front of the public, put out new information about how we perform— Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Yes, and protests are celebrations, Madam Speaker.

SENIORS New Brunswickers reported that they felt worse off in 2025 than they did in 2024. That is what people feel despite this government’s claims of victory with regard to affordability. The Holt government floated 10% to 15% cuts to the public service. Nothing was done. There were no cuts. The government has just added to the cost of living for New Brunswickers. Everyone knows that New Brunswick is in an affordability crisis. This government has already broken trust with seniors. It reneged on the comfort and care allowance.

It is failing to increase direct hours of care, and now, with only one month’s notice and at a time when families can least afford it, we learn that this government will substantially increase the costs for families who have a loved one in care. This is very reminiscent of Brian Gallant and the seniors’ asset grab. We know this Premier was in Brian Gallant’s office when he did that. Did the Premier learn fro m her mentor how to attack seniors’ assets? When will the Premier stop punching down at our seniors and attacking the most vulnerable people— [Translation] Hon. Ms.

Boudreau (Champdore -Irishtown, Minister of Seniors; Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity, L): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I’m very pleased to rise in the House this morning to address the member’s question. I certainly want to clarify that the increase won’t have any impact on the lowest-income clients because they’re already paying the maximum amount. We want to reassure people about that. The fees haven’t been updated in over a decade. So this is work we have done. From now on, we will simply index the maximum client contribution to the Consumer Price Index every

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 9 year. So future client contributions will be more in line with the rising costs of residential care. I also want to note that, in the six years the previous government was in office, we saw that the members now sitting on the opposition side were often invisible. Now, we want to make positive actions visible, and we want to support our seniors at every stage of their lives. Thank you very much. Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker . [Original] This is a substantial increase for seniors living on fixed incomes. Seniors need to be protected from this government. They need to be protected, not exploited financially by their own money-hungry government. The timing could not be worse. Everything costs more, which is especially difficult for seniors on fixed incomes. Now, this government will add $110 per month to families of people living in special care homes.

It will add $126 per month for people living in a Level 3B or Level 3G home, or in a Level 3 or Level 4 residence. It will be almost $172 for families who have loved ones in a Level 3A nursing home. Why wasn’t this information released in your fancy strategy? Why wasn’t this done in a big, flashy announcement? Why wasn’t this mentioned in a splashy Facebook post? It’s because this government knows it’s wrong—wrong for attacking seniors. What do you have to say for yourself, Premier? Remember, be radically transparent. [Translation] Hon. Ms.

Boudreau (Champdore -Irishtown, Minister of Seniors; Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity, L): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak again and provide more information on the question that was asked. At one point, I emphasized a word that sounded a bit like “terror” . What I’ve been hearing since I was appointed Minister responsible for Seniors—I am now Minister of Seniors—is that, for six years, a climate of fear and distrust reigned in the province. P eople felt extremely vulnerable. There was no place available to make themselves heard.

We are providing transparent and benevolent leadership. It is important to say that this morning in the Legislative Assembly. Our government is committed to enhancing access to long-term care in New Brunswick. We are working closely with our partners to me et the urgent needs of our New Brunswick seniors. The change will simply align affordability for residents with the increase in costs related to providing long-term care. We want to ensure that we provide quality care.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 10 Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker . [Original] Depending on the level of care a family’s loved one receives, the Holt government will force that family to pay either $1 324, $1 514, or $2 062 more per year to have their loved one in care. This government is sneaking in a massive financial increase on people at the worst possible time and in the worst possible way. Which one of your ministers cooked this up? Was it you, Premier?

Who will take the fall for this? Who will get the axe for another Liberal government attack on seniors? Do you have no shame, trying to balance the books on the backs of our seniors? Are you really that desperate? Is this something that you will get up and defend, condone, or even celebrate? This government definitely knew it was going to do this when it released the senior strategy. Will the Premier get up and deny this, or, more importantly, will she stand up, apologize, and stop attacking our seniors? [Translation] Hon. Ms.

Boudreau (Champdore -Irishtown, Minister of Seniors; Minister responsible for Women and Gender Equity, L): Thank you, Madam Speaker. It’s so interesting to hear all the remarks from the other side of the House, since, for six years —we know it—our seniors were completely forgotten. People in communities told me that. Seniors, caregivers, families, partners, and people from all over constantly sent the same message. Today, what we have established is an increase that won’t have any effect on people with the lowest incomes. We looked into that. We looked into it to ensure that every senior can age in dignity.

I also want to highlight the historic investment for our seniors, a $993 -million investment. We have managed to change things like never before. Our seniors are at the centre of each of our decisions, and we will make sure they are heard loud and clear. Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker . [Original] This government promised balanced books. It just didn’t specify that it would be done on the backs of our vulnerable seniors and their families.

Billions of dollars have been spent with no results, and we have a Premier who qualifies direct level of care investments for seniors in care based on whether the government can afford it. This government does not care about seniors and their families. The government members’ own actions make that

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 11 abundantly clear. This means it will cost $1 000 to $2 000 more each year for families with a loved one in care, while millions of dollars are being raked in on the backs of seniors. With a 13-point drop in the polls, will this Premier double down on upsetting every single family connected to a senior living in care? We know that every single thing this government does is based on political calculations. Will the Premier do the right thing and back away from this?

Thank you, Madam Speaker. [Translation] Hon. Mr. Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for La Francophonie, L): Thank you, Madam Speaker. What we are hearing here today is unbelievable. (Interjections.) [Original] Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms. Landry): Members. Order. [Translation] Hon. Mr. Gauvin (Shediac Bay-Dieppe, Minister of Public Safety; Minister responsible for La Francophonie, L): We are hearing these kinds of statements after six years of neglect toward seniors.

During its mandate, the former government told New Brunswick nurses to go work in Alberta if they wanted better salaries. It hired nurses from elsewhere, brought them here, and paid them four or five times more than our nurses are paid. Our government gave retention bonuses to nearly 11 000 nurses. How many nurses did the former government help? None. There. None. [Original] Own it. You didn’t do anything. We have a minister who goes across the province. That is why we have so many people here today. It’s because people appreciate the work that she is doing. You did nothing for six years. Don’t blame us.

Look in the mirror. It’s your last day. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): That wasn’t a very good performance, Madam Speaker. Seniors would be embarrassed. MENTAL HEALTH The Holt government promised to have a mental health and addictions advocate in place by the middle of this year. It failed to meet that target. It promised it would be done in this

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 12 session. Again, it failed. Now, government members are expecting everyone to believe them when they promise one for the fall session. In the meantime, this government managed to create an energy advocate that nobody asked for, one that will cost millions of dollars to set up while people remain on the streets, addicted, and let down by this government. Where has the focus been for the Holt government?

One advocate position that nobody asked for was made very quickly, while one that this Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a motion to create is still not in place. The energy advocate role will cost millions of dollars. It will include a deputy-minister-level salary, eight staff, office space to house them all, and a plan that could mean even more offices around the province. However, people with mental health and addiction crises are still waiting. How can the Premier defend the lack of urgency for the mental health and addictions advocate position? Hon. Mr.

McKee, K.C. (Moncton Centre, Minister of Justice; Attorney General; Minister responsible for Addictions and Mental Health Services; L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. I’ll remind the opposition members that they were in government for six years. It has been seven years—seven years—since this Legislative Assembly unanimously supported the creation of a provincial mental health advocate position. The opposition members kicked the can down the road year after year after year. We got into government 18 months ago, and we went straight to work. We will deliver on this promise.

I will also remind the member that the member for Riverview was special assistant to a former Health Minister. While he was in that position, he could have pushed the department to put this in place. We take this very seriously. We have invested $50 million more in this year’s budget for mental health and addiction support. We have money for community case management and navigation services. We have money for addiction and mental health services. We have 50 beds coming near the end of summer. We are doing the work, and we will continue to deliver. Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): The numbers in Moncton show the case. NATURAL GAS Madam Speaker, the Liberal Party puppet master of the Premier and her Liberal underlings here in New Brunswick has signalled the federal government’s support for natural gas development in New Brunswick. Many times, the Premier has mentioned that there is no market for natural gas. Everyone knows the truth about that. We recently saw an announcement that said natural gas is being shipped from British Columbia all the way around the Panama Canal and to Europe.

That is about 9 300 nautical miles or about 17 200 km. You don’t go through that much effort and expense for a product that there is no market for.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 13 The mentor of this Premier put a moratorium in place. We now have record deficits under this government. This government has an opportunity to bring in well-paying jobs and much more revenue than it could from its mining strategy alone. Does the Premier agree with her boss in the federal government, Dominic LeBlanc, that New Brunswick should develop its natural gas resources? Hon. Mr. Herron (Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, Minister of Natural Resources, L): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker.

I do want to point out something. The gist of the question, I guess, was that the government should do something that the previous government had six years to do on its own. Today is very much a watershed moment in New Brunswick. We have a new Comprehensive Minerals Strategy in place, and the new Mineral Resources Act is going to receive royal assent today. We are going to unlock new wealth for New Brunswickers by optimizing the economic potential of our mineral assets. Later today, the new mining Act will be a step in that right direction. Thank you very much, Madam Speaker. Mr.

Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Madam Speaker, we didn’t overspend by $3 billion, so we didn’t need those extra revenues, but this government does. Madam Speaker, this province is in receipt of federal transfers and equalization payments from provinces that do develop their natural resources. With natural gas, we have an opportunity that could bring in revenue of greater magnitude than the Sisson mine could bring in alone. This province has lost 2 200 jobs under this Premier, and the economy is stagnant. The Premier’s poll numbers are in the tank. She is failing on affordability.

A homegrown New Brunswick natural gas supply could lower energy costs, create jobs, and help drive down the record debt and deficit that this government has created. Will the Premier live up to her claim of being bold and changing the course of New Brunswick’s history by saying yes to a New Brunswick natural gas industry? Hon. Mr.

Randall (Fredericton North, Minister responsible for Opportunities NB; Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business; Minister responsible for NB Liquor and Cannabis NB, Minister responsible for the Regulatory Accountability and Reporting Act, L): Minister responsible for the Regulatory Accountability and Reporting Act, L): Madam Speaker, after six years of neglect, this team hit the ground running on economic development in the fall of 2024.

During this session, the official opposition voted against the improvements to the small business investor tax credit, and the third party continues to decry large-scale economic development. This is being done at the same time as both the official opposition and the third party demand more services, the very services that depend on revenue from large-scale development and small businesses. (Interjections.)

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 14 Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms. Landry): Member. Hon. Mr. Randall (Fredericton North, Minister responsible for Opportunities NB; Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business; Minister responsible for NB Liquor and Cannabis NB, Minister responsible for the Regulatory Accountability and Reporting Act, L): Minister responsible for the Regulatory Accountability and Reporting Act, L): I want to remind the members of the official opposition that they voted against investments in agriculture.

They said no to small businesses in forestry, said no to small businesses in aquaculture, said no to small businesses in manufacturing, said no to architects, said no to engineers, and said no to artists. If we want to talk about turning this province around, we need support from all sides of this House to drive economic development in this province. I need yeses from all sides. Thank you, Madam Speaker. Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Maybe government members should agree with us and lift the moratorium.

We have asked this Premier time and time again why her government refuses to tap into New Brunswick’s own natural gas resources, which could lower energy costs, create jobs, and make this province energy independent. Time and time again, there is silence. Let me offer an answer that the Premier won’t. At the New Brunswick Liberal Party convention, her own party voted to adopt a permanent moratorium on natural gas exploration and exploitation in this province. It is not a pause or a review. It is a permanent ban. To the Premier: Is that the reason the answer is always silence?

Is it because the decision was already made in a convention room, not in this Legislature, and certainly not with New Brunswickers? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Mr. Herron (Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, Minister of Natural Resources, L): Thank you, Madam Speaker. I want to go back to one element of the first of these three questions. There’s an offtake arrangement between Canada and Germany. The Germans have made it very clear that they’re looking for an array of options for the supply of natural gas. That presents potential opportunities for the West Coast, and it opens up opportunities on the East Coast as well.

I think, as opposed to talking about an opportunity that’s in Bri tish Columbia… We wish our brethren in British Columbia success, but that pipeline has not been built. About 900 km of pipe still needs to be built. The facility does not exist yet. We believe that if there is going to be natural gas supplied to Europe, the default location is where there is preexisting LNG infrastructure and pipeline infrastructure, and that is in Saint John, New Brunswick. [Translation] Mr. Savoie (Saint John East, Leader of the Official Opposition, PC): Thank you very much, Madam Speaker .

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 15 [Original] Madam Speaker, there is trouble in paradise. This micromanaging Premier is having trouble keeping control of all her minions—oh, I mean ministers. Her Minister of Natural Resources has publicly stated his disagreement with the cutting of the provincial vet lab and veterinary services. The Minister of Natural Resources said: “It’s not very much and it’s going to create a lot of grief”. We know that the minister is a huge fan of having a natural gas industry here in New Brunswick.

We also know that this micromanaging Premier is silencing her members on a regular basis. Is this Premier going to axe the Minister of Natural Resources because of his support for natural gas here in New Brunswick? Thank you, Madam Speaker. Hon. Ms. Holt (Fredericton South-Silverwood, Premier; Minister responsible for Official Languages, L): Madam Speaker, I’ll start off by taking this opportunity to recognize the irony in that question coming from a member who just asked every single question, not sharing a single one with his team.

Recognizing that it’s his last day in this role, we can have some compassion for that. The official opposition asked me to answer every question. However, I have an incredible team of ministers who are fully empowered to get up, speak, and answer the questions, and that contradicts the member’s point. This is a team, and that’s what New Brunswickers are looking for. That’s why they voted for change. They didn’t want a single person managing everything from the Premier’s Office.

They wanted a team of 31 exceptional New Brunswickers working on the ground, with heart. [Translation] Our incredible team has New Brunswickers at heart. We work every day to move their priorities forward. [Original] That’s why this has been the most productive session that New Brunswick has seen, with 27 pieces of legislation passed that are going to make a real difference in people’s lives. Madam Speaker (Hon. Ms. Landry): Thank you. Question period has expired. [Translation] Question period is over. Thank you.

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Collection	New Brunswick — Debates (Hansard)
Citation	content house business 61 2 qp transcripts Oral Questions Questions orales 2026-06-12.ang
Type	hansard
Volume / chapter	content house business 61 2 qp transcripts Oral Questions Questions orales 2026 06 12.ang.pdf
Language	en
Format	json
Source	PROVINCIAL
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