Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 1 May 12, 2022 CONTENTS FUEL PRICES Mr. Melanson Hon. Mr. Higgs Mr. Melanson Hon. Mr. Flemming, Q.C. Mr. Melanson Hon. Mr. Flemming, Q.C. Mr. Melanson Hon. Mr. Higgs Mr. Melanson Hon. Mr. Higgs HEALTH CARE Mr. Melanson Hon. Mrs. Shephard Mr. Melanson Hon. Mrs. Shephard CORONAVIRUS Mr. Melanson Hon. Mrs. Shephard Mr. Melanson Hon. Mrs. Shephard

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 2 SHALE GAS Mr. Legacy Hon. Mr. Higgs ENERGY Mr. K. Arseneau Hon. Mr. Higgs Mr. K. Arseneau Hon. Mr. Higgs SHALE GAS Mr. Legacy Hon. Ms. Dunn Hon. Ms. Dunn BELLEDUNE GENERATING STATION Mr. Legacy Hon. Mr. Holland CORONAVIRUS Mr. D’Amours Hon. Mrs. Shephard

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 3 [Translation] FUEL PRICES Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. This morning, thousands upon thousands of New Brunswickers have to go to work or otherwise go about their daily lives. They also have to put gas in their cars. This morning, the price of gas is $2.02 per litre. Mr. Speaker, this government is strangely unwilling to act and try to ease the harmful effects of gas prices.

In the Legislative Assembly yesterday, the Premier was consistently unwilling to answer the questions we were asking. Instead, he placed the blame on federal government policies. Nobody understood what he meant. However, people going to work this morning or putting gas in their cars do understand that it is too expensive. Mr. Premier, you talked to the media yesterday about providing a consumption rebate. What did you mean? [Original] Mr. Speaker (Hon. Mr. Oliver): Time, member. Hon. Mr. Higgs (Quispamsis, Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, PC): Mr. Speaker, this is rich.

I mean, we have a federal government policy that has put us in the situation that we are in right now, and the Liberal Leader knows that. I would like to suggest that maybe we could work on an all-party committee to help influence the federal government in its policies. The gas prices that we are experiencing right now are well beyond whatever the carbon tax was supposed to be—well beyond. The suggestion was this: Can we alleviate that for a short time? The answer was no, no, we cannot. A policy has been made by the federal government, and the Liberal Leader knows it full well.

If he really wants to help us to change the tune for the long term to help energy costs come to a point where every citizen in this province can afford them, he should call his relatives in Ottawa and say: We need help in New Brunswick because the prices that we are experiencing right now are well beyond what we can afford. We are a rural province, and we need help in your current policies. Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): One of the reasons that those in Ottawa might not listen to the Premier’s suggestions is that perhaps he is too cranky with them.

You are not really trying to work with the federal government. That being said, the issue is not about the federal government right now. The issue is the cost of gasoline here in New Brunswick. This morning, the price is $2.02 cents per litre.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 4 The Premier went out to the media yesterday, without having any respect for the responsibilities of the Legislative Assembly, and said that he was thinking about a consumer gas rebate—thinking about it, not giving any details. Well, today, we are here. He has a minute and more. We will give him all the time that he needs to explain what that really means because we are very curious. Premier, can you explain? Hon. Mr.

Flemming, Q.C. (Rothesay, Minister of Justice, Attorney General, PC): I have had about enough of this. I do not know what you were doing in Grade 10 when you were first taught supply and demand. When you restrict the supply of something, the price goes up. In its policy, the federal government has restricted the exploration, transportation, and distribution of oil and gas products, and by so doing, the price has gone up, which is exactly what the government wanted. The federal government wanted the price to go up. The price is going up because the federal government restricted supply. It is Economics 101.

What is staggering about it is that the federal government actually implemented a policy that is working as intended. However, it is lunacy. It is harming New Brunswick. It is harming the people. Phone your buddy Trudeau and tell him to fix it. (Interjections.) Mr. Speaker (Hon. Mr. Oliver): Order. Order. Order, please. Order. Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Mr. Speaker, I want some time put back on the clock because we just wasted a minute of our lives listening to this minister. We have wasted a minute of our lives listening to this minister. I hope he sits down for the rest of the day, Mr.

Speaker. The Premier said that he is thinking about a consumer gas rebate to try to ease some of the pain regarding the gas pricing. The price has been increasing. It has increased, since October, by over 22% in New Brunswick. Diesel has increased in price by over 40% since October. The Premier went to the media yesterday and talked about some rebate that he is thinking about. But he said: We are not sure because we do not have all the information. He wants to wait another quarter. Premier, you know what happened in the last quarter of the last fiscal year.

How much more revenue did the province make because of the price of fuel going up? Hon. Mr. Flemming, Q.C. (Rothesay, Minister of Justice, Attorney General, PC): I am not going to be muzzled by this guy, okay? It is called supply and demand. When you intentionally restrict the supply of a commodity, the price goes up. The carbon tax was put on to increase the price for the sole purpose of reducing demand. It is intentional government policy to restrict the exploration, transportation, distribution, and access. It is hurting poor people. It is hurting the

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 5 disadvantaged. And you are sitting around and blaming us for something that your buddy in Ottawa did. Stand up, man up, call him up, tell him he is wrong, and help New Brunswickers. Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Those were two minutes of our lives that we lost—two minutes. Mr. Premier, through you, Mr. Speaker, at the end of the day, we can scream all we want here. Obviously, it happens once in a while from both sides. But people are struggling. The price of gas is high.

It is $2.02 this morning. The Premier said that he was thinking about a rebate. I think it is just appropriate to ask the Premier to explain what he means, only because he did say that he could not provide the details before he knows more about what kind of revenue the province is going to get over the next three months, the first quarter. But in the last quarter of the last fiscal year, the price was also going up significantly. He knows the revenue numbers. How much more did the province make in the last quarter of the last fiscal year? Premier, could you please tell us? Hon. Mr.

Higgs (Quispamsis, Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, PC): Mr. Speaker, as for the whole focus on what we are getting in revenue, the Leader of the Liberal Party obviously knows that it comes from a rebate from the federal government that is based on the consumption that we are seeing today. That is what I was referring to yesterday. We are now analyzing that consumption period. We do not have access to that at this point without calling and talking to the suppliers and saying: What are you selling? That is the exercise that we are going through.

In government, our costs have gone up as well. What we are doing in terms of our revenue in this year’s budget… When I refer to this year’s budget, I know that the member knows full well that every budget closes at the end of March. We are in this fiscal year’s first quarter. In doing that, we are looking at it and saying: Okay, are we ahead of the game or not? We are providing more money through the system for social services than any government has in the past. Do we want to jeopardize that? No, we do not. But do we want to understand if we do have a surplus here that is being created by gas prices? Yes, we do.

If we do, then we will find a way to do the right thing with it, Mr. Speaker. Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Mr. Speaker, the last fiscal year came to an end on March 31, and the books are closed. The government is finalizing the details to send to the Auditor General for the auditing piece of it. I know that because I have been there. But the Premier knows now, after almost six weeks, the revenues that came in during the last quarter, the fourth quarter, of the last fiscal year. He knows.

He could have chosen—because I know that he knew—when the budget was tabled, to really bring in a fiscal policy, be it temporary, to help some of the people who are paying way too much for gas.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 6 To wait another quarter is going to be six months of people paying more and more and more. Do you know what the results of that would be? They are struggling. They are struggling. He is just hiding behind a process. Do your job, Premier. Take your responsibilities, help them out, come up with the rebate, and explain what that rebate is all about. Hon. Mr. Higgs (Quispamsis, Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, PC): Mr.

Speaker, the Leader of the Opposition knows the process full well. Yes, he was there. He knows that last year’s numbers are last year’s numbers, and he knows that this year’s budget shows a $35-million surplus, based on what we knew at the time. And I just said that we are evaluating now, not waiting until the end of the first quarter, so that we will know what we can do in that regard. But let’s not miss out on the real issue that we have here. We can put all the band-aids on it that we want, but the real issue is the federal policy that is driving costs through the roof, aided by the situation in Europe.

No one planned on that, but that is another issue. But should we be in this position? Absolutely not. We have done it to ourselves, and we have done it because of their colleagues in government in Ottawa who are driving a policy that is putting Canada out of business. It is putting investors into another country, Mr. Speaker. We are destroying our own economy by ourselves, managed by the government in Ottawa. HEALTH CARE Mr.

Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Well, that is three minutes of our lives that we will not get back, because the Premier just added another minute there, which basically—I am sorry, Premier—did not mean anything. I am going to move on to health care because I am not getting any answers from you. Yesterday, the Minister of Health finally—finally—acknowledged in the media that there is a labour shortage with respect to health care providers and that she sees the problems and the challenges that we have in our ERs in terms of offloading people.

But in November, when she tabled her reform, Stabilizing Health Care: An Urgent Call to Action, there was no mention of hiring more health care providers. We now have an affordable housing problem—she was the minister then. We now have a health care crisis—she is the minister now. Premier, are you going to ask her to resign, fire her, or do a shuffle? Hon. Mrs. Shephard (Saint John Lancaster, Minister of Health, PC): Well, who is yelling now, Mr. Speaker? You know, I am a little bit flabbergasted by what the member opposite, the Leader of the Opposition, is saying.

He knows that we have been talking recruitment, recruitment, recruitment since the very day we took office.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 7 My colleague the Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, our department, the regional health authorities, and EM/ANB have all partnered together in the recruiting process, and we are having success. Right now, we have recruited more doctors than we have lost. We are working every single day with our graduates and our nursing schools. I have visited and talked with each one, not just those in nursing but also our medical school students and physicians.

We are ensuring that we are taking every opportunity to bring every single medical professional human resource here along with all the other occupations that it takes to run our health care system. Mr. Speaker, we have been doing our job. [Translation] Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Mr. Speaker, for what may be the first time since the minister took her position, she has finally recognized the challenges and problems related to the shortage of human resources in the health care system. That is why ambulances are becoming hospitals parked in hospital parking lots.

This is serious, because the people in these ambulances are not getting the medical care they should and would be getting inside the hospital. The minister unveiled her reform in November. Nowhere does the document mention that we need human resources. Madam Minister, are you going to be announcing the real human resource recruitment, retention, and education plan for nurses and licensed practical nurses that we need so badly? [Original] Hon. Mrs. Shephard (Saint John Lancaster, Minister of Health, PC): Mr. Speaker, where has he been?

We have been constantly coming out with our nursing strategy with regard to education, the opening of new seats, the bridging program, and internationally educated nurses. We have taken this on in a very robust way. So, as the member wants to make people believe that we are not doing our job, I am very sorry, but I really, really, really have to object to what he is saying because we have been doing our job and we are showing results. Let’s talk about ambulances. Do you remember that there was a public letter that I sent to the CEOs? I was criticized for it, but do you know what?

Horizon took that letter, formed a committee, and got it done. On Monday night, my stomach was in a pit because there were 16 ambulances offloading, but guess what? By Tuesday morning, there were zero because they had implemented a new processing system. CORONAVIRUS Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): It may be working, Mr. Speaker, but it is certainly not working well, because the results are worrisome.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 8 Mr. Speaker, I want to ask the Minister of Health another question. It is a very serious matter. We have seen that it is actually recorded that, unfortunately, 406 people have lost their lives directly related to COVID-19. We certainly offer our condolences to the families and friends.

An associate professor and infectious disease researcher from the University of Toronto, Tara Moriarty, revealed that from September to October of last year, the number of people who actually lost their lives in New Brunswick seems to have been underrecorded regarding the COVID-19 factor and that it is related. There were 432 people who died, which, historically, is above normal for that time period. Can the minister explain to us what happened to those 432 people who lost their lives? Hon. Mrs. Shephard (Saint John Lancaster, Minister of Health, PC): Mr. Speaker, I do not know what to say to this.

We have been extremely transparent with our COVID-19 numbers and our COVID-19 deaths. Our hearts go out to every single family that has lost someone due to COVID-19. Until we actually do a full analysis of our COVID-19 reality… There are consequences of a global pandemic. We are not going to know what other factors may have played into anyone’s death in this province with regard to inadvertent things—things that could not happen while COVID-19 was going on. I am not sure about this study. I am not sure how the data rolls out. It is anecdotal to me at this point because, no, it has not been explained.

I know that we have been very transparent in all our records and in all the information that we have. We are happy to provide anything that the opposition wants. Mr. Melanson (Dieppe, Interim Opposition Leader, L): Mr. Speaker, I can appreciate the answer, but there are still 432 people who lost their lives during those eight weeks from September to October of last year. I do not think that it is anecdotal because these numbers are coming from Statistics Canada, which is quite a reliable source.

What I would ask the minister, since she did hear about this report, is this: Has she taken the responsibility to ask her department and Public Health to really look into this matter so that we can fully understand what happened to these individuals? I think that New Brunswickers deserve to know. Certainly, the family members and friends of these 432 people deserve to know. Is her department looking into this research and this matter? Hon. Mrs. Shephard (Saint John Lancaster, Minister of Health, PC): Of course we are, Mr. Speaker.

Anything that comes out that is related to data and that has a connotation that the facts are not what they are needs to be taken seriously. We have tracked COVID-19 extremely tightly, as the member opposite would remember from when he participated in the all-party COVID-19 Cabinet committee, which he actually left and quit. He would have been part of all these conversations.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 9 Mr. Speaker, I am a little taken aback by the member today. I think there is an insinuation that is really improper. I cannot do anything about that. He is speaking to this. We have been very transparent with all our data and all our records. We have an aging population. I cannot explain those numbers at this actual moment, but the department has been asked to look at it and will do so as we progress through our evaluations. [Translation] SHALE GAS Mr. Legacy (Bathurst West-Beresford, L): Mr.

Speaker, we have seen this week that the Premier is still thinking out loud in front of the media. He apparently believes that it is time to reopen the shale gas file and end the moratorium. Is this really an active file, or is it just smoke and mirrors again, like the time he floated the idea to us of one airport for the whole province? [Original] Hon. Mr. Higgs (Quispamsis, Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, PC): Mr. Speaker, with the situation in New Brunswick, when we talk about high energy costs, energy security, and whether we can help the world, there is no smokescreen.

It is the reality we face. Russia invading Ukraine is not a smokescreen—it is a reality. The threat that Europe is under right now in terms of energy supply is not a smokescreen—it is a reality. The ability for New Brunswick to be part of that solution is not a smokescreen—it is a reality. The ability of Canada to be a major player here for not only peace security but also energy security is a reality. It is something that we have been doing for years in our country.

The only reason it is not a reality right now is because of Ottawa’s policies that have taken Canada out of business and put us in a position that we do not need to be in. With respect to the point of what we can do in New Brunswick and what people want to do to help the world and to help the province, I think the tune has changed a bit here. How do we manage our resources safely? How do we transition our economy into a green economy and not turn off the lights and turn off the pumps because we cannot afford them? Mr. Speaker (Hon. Mr. Oliver): Time, Premier. [Translation] ENERGY Mr. K.

Arseneau (Kent North, G): What we could do to help the planet, Mr. Speaker, is to move into the 21st century. That is what we could do to help the planet.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 10 We are learning that the Higgs government sees the war in Ukraine as an opportunity to lift the moratorium on shale gas in New Brunswick and develop the fossil fuel industry in the province. Meanwhile, François Legault, in Quebec, whom I never, ever thought I would give as a good example, is putting an end to all research and development activities aimed at petroleum production in his province because of the threat of the climate crisis.

It is clear that petroleum industry lobbyists see the potential there to make a buck, and we know the Premier likes to make a buck. When we are tackling a problem, however, it is important to do so with eyes wide open. Beneath this dependence on Russian fossil fuels is obviously a dependence on fossil fuels. So my question is for the Premier: What will he do to release us from the bonds of fossil fuels? [Original] Hon. Mr. Higgs (Quispamsis, Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, PC): Mr. Speaker, I think the member opposite would understand the situation in Quebec.

Ensuring that more hydropower is used is a definite economic advantage for Quebec—not for the rest of the country but for Quebec. Let’s think about this. We have a whole nation here for which we are trying to provide energy security. Having cheap crude oil move into refineries in Quebec is a good deal for Quebec, but it is not necessarily a good deal for the rest of the country. That is the whole issue. How do we manage security for Canada, our nation, and for the world? Yes, Premier Legault has a hydro source there that is unlike any other in the country, so there is a strategic difference.

If the member opposite just looked at the whole energy supply in our country and see what is needed, he would realize that wind and solar are not going to do it. We need to add more, absolutely, but the lights will go out unless we have a strategic plan and a transition to get to a greener economy—not just to shut it off and hope for the best. [Translation] Mr. K. Arseneau (Kent North, G): Mr. Speaker, that is to completely ignore climate change, the 1.5 ̊C increase, and the devastating effect that it will have on our coastlines, our lives, and people everywhere.

New Brunswick will be among the first places affected by climate change, because of our geographical situation. There are places in the world that have already experienced incredible effects. Disregarding science and what the IPCC says makes absolutely no sense, Mr. Speaker. It is all because of a vision that dates back to another era. Come back to the 21st century, look at the problems we are facing, and come to us with solutions. So, dealing with climate change…

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 11 [Original] In the face of climate change and the importance of investing in renewable energy and alternatives, will the Premier commit to bringing forward legislation that will compel Vestcor to divest from fossil fuel? Mr. Speaker (Hon. Mr. Oliver): Time, member. Hon. Mr. Higgs (Quispamsis, Premier, Minister responsible for Intergovernmental Affairs, PC): Mr. Speaker, this is not denying climate change at all; it is managing climate change.

It is managing climate change in a way that our economy can survive and in a way that people who are trying to fill up their cars can survive and get to work. It is a managed process so we can transition to a cleaner economy, which is something that the member opposite cannot seem to fathom. If we are going to look at how we transition, it is not about whether we can invest more in wind and solar because that is not going to be the answer. If the member opposite looked at it, he would know that. But will he support SMRs and modular technologies and nuclear that can be the answer? No, you cannot have that either.

I would ask this of the member opposite and, for that matter, the entire Green Party: What is their solution? The numbers do not work and the energy supply does not work and the lights will go out, and that is the whole issue. Look at the reality. What we are facing right now is the tip of the iceberg. The costs that we are seeing now in energy could change the cost of NB Power by over $100 million and go directly onto the rates of the people of this province. SHALE GAS Mr. Legacy (Bathurst West-Beresford, L): Mr.

Speaker, I do not think that anyone needs to make the case in this House that fracking is a contentious issue in this province. This is what is a smokescreen. I noticed that the Premier mentioned that he had spoken to Repsol representatives. He feels that what is required for the moratorium to be lifted is for the federal government to expedite environmental assessments and permits, clear some regulations, and get some support for an export terminal. I wonder this: Did the Premier reach out to the First Nations? Did he reach out to environmental groups to see whether the mood is actually different, as he states?

There were five conditions to be met to be able to remove the moratorium. Does the Premier plan to address any of these? Has this government done any work on this file? Hon. Ms. Dunn (Saint John Harbour, Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business, Minister responsible for Opportunities NB, Minister responsible for Immigration, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, PC): That is a good question. Through the Speaker, I am actually very, very happy that you are bringing up the First Nations today. I

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 12 do want to make sure that you are abreast of what is happening with respect to this government and the First Nations, which is unprecedented, by the way. No previous government has actually done what this government has done. There are just some key things that you need to understand. (Interjections.) Hon. Ms.

Dunn (Saint John Harbour, Minister responsible for Economic Development and Small Business, Minister responsible for Opportunities NB, Minister responsible for Immigration, Minister of Aboriginal Affairs, PC): The province is engaged in either formal negotiations or informal negotiations and discussions with all 16 First Nations in the province. This results in multiple sessions—as many as 10 to 15 negotiation sessions every single month.

The other thing that I would say to you is that these are things that are on the roster for these negotiations, which include the types of projects that we are talking about here today. The First Nations will be at the table. The First Nations are going to be part of the decision- making process, and they will be here. Thank you. BELLEDUNE GENERATING STATION Mr. Legacy (Bathurst West-Beresford, L): Mr. Speaker, as the Premier continues to muse out loud regarding just any development—LNG in Saint John, potash in Sussex—I wonder whether an actual development file is being left out in the cold.

I cannot think of an occasion when this Premier has openly given a thought to Belledune. When pressed, he will answer defensively in the House or he will deflect to the feds in the media. I would say this: Maybe have a little focus, Mr. Premier. Stop pushing Belledune down the list and start showing some leadership. Time is ticking on the Belledune power plant and all the lip service in the world is not going to fix it. I have a feeling. I am going to wager that we are about to get a full minute of lip service from the minister. Why are the priorities of this government not in the right place? Hon. Mr.

Holland (Albert, Minister of Natural Resources and Energy Development, PC): Mr. Speaker, I am listening to a variety of questions from a couple of different parties, and I am thinking that I almost cannot believe what I am hearing. The Liberals could not run away from development any faster during the Brian Gallant years, and they put their heads in the sand. If the Green Party had an original thought, it would die of loneliness when it comes to economic development. I do not know what we are looking at here.

It feels pretty lonely when we are trying to have a collaborative effort to raise the efforts of the province of New Brunswick to move responsibly into opportunities, whether it be the work that we are doing in the ongoing discussions about the crucial role that the northern part of the province can play in a green energy strategy or whether it be the SMR project

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 13 that both the Liberals and the Conservatives really should realize is a pathway toward economic development and emissions reduction. At the end of the day, when you talk about a moratorium, the opposition members get all upset about the fact that we are talking about having the conversation—responsibly talking about what could be good for our province. That is progress. That is politics over there. I will take our… Mr. Speaker (Hon. Mr. Oliver): Time, minister. [Translation] CORONAVIRUS Mr.

D’Amours (Edmundston-Madawaska Centre, L): Thank you, Mr. Speaker. Unlike many other Canadian provinces, New Brunswick is doing nothing to help people affected now by long COVID-19 or those who may suffer from it in future. As we are seeing, the Minister of Health is a complete no-show on that. Mr. Speaker, what is the minister waiting for? We are going to ask her, and today, to help her out, I am going to give her a choice of answers. That is probably going to help her, because she often repeats the same thing without giving us anything concrete. Here are the choices. A: Does the minister want to do nothing?

A: Does the minister want to do nothing? B: Does the minister not know what to do? C: Is the minister waiting for the Official Opposition to tell her what to do? Will C be the significant choice? [Original] Hon. Mrs. Shephard (Saint John Lancaster, Minister of Health, PC): Well, there is that mansplaining again. Let me just try to address those questions. First of all, does the minister care? The minister absolutely cares.

In fact, I have been talking about long COVID-19 probably since about midway through COVID-19, when it became very known to me that there were people who had been struggling with it for a while. Actually, there was some scientific research going on at the Moncton Hospital. They were working with our data to see whether they could follow up on many of those cases. You know, really, COVID-19 has been happening in our lives for a very short time. There is a lot of understanding that needs to happen with regard to long COVID-19. I cannot explain long COVID-19, as I am not a medical clinician.

But we have a lot of smart people in this province. We have researchers who are working on this. Yes, we will have a strategy from the medical community, I am sure, to help guide us through what we need to do for those suffering with long COVID-19.

Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick Oral Questions Original by Hansard Office Translation by Debates Translation 14 Mr. Speaker (Hon. Mr. Oliver): It seems as if we just got started, but question period is over.