Schooled
St. Thomas University students get a lesson in Susan Holt's decision-making
What is post-secondary education for? That was the subtext of the debate that broke into the open last week over the province’s universities and colleges.
L’Acadie Nouvelle was the first to get hold of the document you see below, a two-page list of ideas for how universities and colleges might implement a $35- to $50-million budget cut. My story is here.
The CBC’s Silas Brown had this follow-up, which was updated close to deadline with the news that Premier Susan Holt had taken some of the ideas above off the table.
When a St. Thomas student named Max Green commented on social media that it was strange to be learning of the premier’s move on, well, social media, I decided to get in touch with him.
Some previous coverage of the lead-up to second Liberal budget includes stories on the government’s discussion document, its new deficit estimate for this year and the implications for child care.
If we needed any more proof that population growth will not save us from this financial black hole, here it is.
And by the way, we’re not alone:
Ample material for two segments on each of Friday's political panels, Café Politique and on Shift New Brunswick.
Mining for News
The federal minister of natural resources, Tim Hodgson, was in New Brunswick last week for an announcement in Tracyville, at the Marwood plant there — a favourite venue for federal politicians.
I asked Hodgson about the latest on federal support for the Sisson Mine.
In Other News
The Holt government renewed its rollout of collaborative care clinic announcements in Eastern Charlotte and Nackawic.
Special surcharges on our power bills are going to continue for quite a long time.
A giant of local and provincial politics in northwest New Brunswick is leaving the scene after five decades.
By the time you read this, Premier Susan Holt should be landing back in Canada after a fast trip to India with Prime Minister Mark Carney.
CBC got an interview with Donald Trump’s trade representative the night of the State of the Union speech; here’s the resulting story. Pierre Poilievre gave a big speech of his own, about Donald Trump.
The chances of a federal election continued to stir discussion. There’s a smart look at House of Commons math here, one federal party leader says that an election isn’t necessary, and political scientist and Substacker Jonathan Malloy declares the likelihood all but dead:
Lastly, here’s a very good preview of the upcoming Supreme Court of Canada case on Quebec’s Bill 21. Yes, this is the case that the Holt government has taken a pass on participating in.
The Political Calendar
Susan Holt’s trip home from India is via a stop in Toronto at a mining conference where her government plans an announcement later today (Monday March 2).
The big Liberal budget, the government’s second, is now less than three weeks away. We can also expect the report by the N.B. Power review committee by the end of this month.
And for Progressive Conservatives, the big day on the calendar is Oct. 17, the election of their new leader; prospective candidates must file their paperwork by June 19.
Thank You
Welcome aboard to all new subscribers. We are having fun here, aren’t we? I look forward every week (usually on Sunday) to popping this newsletter in the oven so that it’s fresh and warm in your inbox by Monday mornings. Don’t forget to share it with your networks.
As an expat NB'er, you're recaps are a must-read for those of us wanting the quick and dirty on NB things.
'Thank you...' for the great - and continued - updates.