Sorry Not Sorry
The Liberals defend, but also rethink, their approach to district education budgets
Those Liberals. So impatient for change, for improving education, that they moved too quickly, according to the education minister — who, after not taking questions at the legislature on May 16, did several interviews last week suggesting a shift in position.
Here’s my story, including video of my interview with the minister. Teachers seemed pleased by what she had to say; a couple of school districts, less so.
My colleague Alex Villeneuve has this analysis of the whole thing.
A Picasso, or a Garfunkel
If you had a million dollars, would you pay off some of your debts, or spend it on something you really needed — like a llama, or an emu?
That’s a Gen-X joke, but it’s basically the choice, as I reported, facing the Holt government this year — the result of a legal action launched by the Shawn Graham government back in 2008.
Here’s what Newfoundland and Labrador decided; what do you think the Holt Liberals should do?
We discussed this and other subjects on Café politique and the Shift New Brunswick political panel last week.
In other news
The Holt government named three people to lead its review of N.B. Power’s future.
We learned all kinds of new details about the gas leak at the Irving station in Woodstock.
The government signed a new contract with nursing home unions and announced help for more people struggling to pay their rent.
Two courts of appeal heard political cases: in New Brunswick, there was skepticism about a lower court ruling that the province should rethink courthouse closures in the Acadian Peninsula, and in Nova Scotia the Court of Appeal wasn’t pleased with the premier mischaracterizing the thrust of the Chignecto Isthmus case — a legal matter that affects New Brunswick, too. (Ottawa wants the case thrown out.)
King Charles arrives in Canada today for a short visit to open Parliament and read the Carney government’s Throne Speech.
There was a lot of tut-tutting earlier this year about why the King was staying silent about Donald Trump’s comments threatening Canadian sovereignty; the piece below, while a bit long and overdone, explains why that criticism was misplaced.
Trump’s new ambassador to Canada also has thoughts.
Speaking of events in Ottawa, there have been a few stories about Mark Carney’s office and his leadership style. This one is interesting because New Brunswickers may discern elements of Frank McKenna and Blaine Higgs in what it describes.
For Your Calendar (this year and next)
The legislature is back tomorrow for a two-week run to its adjournment for the summer on June 6. The PC party set the rules, and the date, for the selection of its next leader. The results of the race will be out on Oct. 17, 2026.
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LinkedIn reminded me last week that I’d been covering New Brunswick politics for the CBC for 25 years. That’s a long time: I’ve reported on six premiers. Here are some pics from the archives:
There are some good stories attached to some of the photos above, but I’ll save those for a future date — so you’ll have to stay subscribed.
Thank you……