• About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
Saturday, March 25, 2023
  • Login
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
  • Articles en français
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Culture
  • Videos
  • NB debrief
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home Acadie

OPEN LETTER: New year, new leadership!

Acadian Society of NB and dozens of other civil society leaders call for the Tories to hold a leadership review to replace Blaine Higgs.

by Alexandre Cédric Doucet et al.
December 22, 2022
Reading Time: 4min read
OPEN LETTER: New year, new leadership!

Progressive Conservative and People's Alliance MLAs rise to vote in favour of Bill 17 on December 20, 2019, while nursing home workers in the gallery shout in protest. The bill effectively removed the workers’ right to strike. Screenshot: legnb.ca

Members of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, 

Ms. Erika Hachey, President of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, 

Mr. Greg Turner, Caucus Chair, 

As you well know, New Brunswick is the only officially bilingual province in Canada. Far from being a weakness, this bilingual status is an intrinsic part of our provincial identity and serves to unite communities in all four corners of the province. Premier Blaine Higgs’ attempts to disengage himself from his responsibilities regarding matters of official bilingualism are of great concern to us. By falsely portraying himself as a victim of bilingualism, the Premier is sowing discord between the linguistic and cultural communities of our province. Simply put, this divisive strategy is unacceptable coming from the Premier of our beautiful province.

According to a recent Angus Reid poll, your party’s leader has an approval rating of only 28 per cent, making him the second least popular premier in the country.

As such, here is a non-exhaustive list of factors that explains the Premier’s declining popularity and our loss of confidence in his ability to lead the province:

  • The Premier’s undeniable lack of respect concerning the province’s nation-to-nation relationship with the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey Nations;
  • His blatant lack of respect for the Acadian and Francophone community in his management of the review of New Brunswick’s Official Languages Act;
  • His lack of transparency regarding the abolition of the French immersion program, which led to the resignation of his Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development;
  • His unilateral decision to abolish the democratically elected boards of directors of the Vitalité and Horizon health authorities;
  • His unilateral decision to fire the CEO of Horizon, without the knowledge of the Minister of Health;
  • The lack of investment in our public health and education services and infrastructure;
  • The lack of investment in our province’s small and medium-sized businesses;
  • The underfunding of arts and culture, as well as sports and recreation;
  • Its refusal to maintain the cap on rent increases, which will only exacerbate the current housing crisis;
  • The accumulation of record budget surpluses since the beginning of the pandemic, all while our public institutions and infrastructure are in need of major investments;
  • His decision to provide tax cuts to households with an annual income of $144,000 or more;
  • His decision to abolish the unemployment insurance program for post-secondary students;
  • His attempts to undermine the fundamental right to strike of unionized workers in our public service;
  • Etc.

As a result, we are asking the members of your party to invoke the procedure in your constitution which states that fifty or more members, at least twenty of whom are presidents of registered riding associations, must apply to the party president for a leadership review.

In these difficult times, it is essential to have a unifying Premier who truly understands the needs of all New Brunswickers. More than ever, we need a Premier who can give hope to all New Brunswickers, regardless of their linguistic community or origins.

We ask you, dear members of the Progressive Conservative Party, to begin a leadership review before February 9, 2023, the date set for the next State of the Province address.

On that note, we wish you a joyous holiday season and a happy New Year in 2023,

Signatories:

  • Alexandre Cédric Doucet, president, Société de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Alain Sirois, Vice President, New Brunswick Federation of Labour; Director of francophone membership, Public Service Alliance of Canada – Atlantique
  • Allain Roy, president, Théâtre populaire de l’Acadie
  • Annette Hondas, president, Association francophone des parents du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Bruno Poirier, general director, Communauté et loisirs Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Carmen Gibbs, general director, Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Colleen Coffey, regional executive vice-president, Public Service Alliance of Canada – Atlantic
  • Daniel Légère, president, New Brunswick Federation of Labour
  • David Décarie, president, Théâtre l’Escaouette
  • Elizabeth Weir, former MLA and former NDP-NB leader, O.N.B
  • Florian Arseneault, president, Association des juristes d’expression française du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Franck Senda, president, Association de la communauté congolaise de Moncton
  • Geneviève Latour, president, Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Ghislaine Foulem, president, Conseil pour le développement de l’alphabétisme et des compétences des adultes du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Hélène Albert, president, Association des bibliothécaires, professeures et professeurs de l’Université de Moncton
  • Jacinthe Comeau, general director, Réseau atlantique de diffusion des arts de la scène
  • Jacques Verge, general director, Égalité Santé en français
  • Jane Keith, Vice-President, Canadian Parents for French – NB
  • Jean-Paul Soucy, president, Société culturelle régionale Les Chutes
  • Jean-Pierre Ouellet, mayor, Haut-Madawaska
  • Jean-Sébastien Léger, president, Fédération des étudiantes et étudiants du Campus universitaire de Moncton
  • Jennifer Murray, Atlantic Regional Director, UNIFOR
  • Jessica Lebreton, general director, Club plein air de Caraquet
  • Larry Cook, International Association of Firefighters
  • Léo-James Lévesque, Assistant Professor, FSL Methodology Specialist, St. Thomas University
  • Liette Paulin-LeBlanc, general director, Salon du livre de Dieppe
  • Linda LeBlanc, president, Société des enseignantes et enseignants retraités francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Lisa Parent, mayor, Rivière-Verte
  • Mamadou Diallo, president, Conseil provincial des personnes d’ascendance africaine du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Marcel Larocque, president, Association francophone des aîné.es du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Marie-Thérèse Landry, general director, Conseil provincial des sociétés culturelles
  • Matthew Hayes, spokesperson, New Brunswick Coalition for Tenants Rights and professor of sociology, St. Thomas University
  • Maude Sonier, president, Fédération des jeunes francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Nathalie Brideau, president, Association des enseignant.es francophones du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Normand G. Thériault, president, Coopérative de développement régional Acadie
  • Philippe Beaulieu, president, Association acadienne des artistes professionnel.le.s du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Réjean Hall, president, Association des bibliothécaires et professeurs retraités de l’Université de Moncton
  • René Léger, general director, Centre culturel Aberdeen
  • Robert Frenette, president, Fondation des Jeux de l’Acadie
  • Robert Levesque, president, Fédération des conseils d’éducation du Nouveau-Brunswick
  • Roseline Pelletier, Mayor, Lac-Baker
  • Sophie Lagueux, general director, Société culturelle régionale Les Chutes
  • Stephen Drost, president, CUPE-NB
  • Terry Richardson, Chief of Pabineau First Nation
  • Yves Arsenault, president, Société des Jeux de l’Acadie
  • Yvon Godin, president, Association francophone des municipalités du Nouveau-Brunswick
Tags: Acadian Society of New BrunswickAlexandre Cédric DoucetBlaine HiggsProgressive Conservative Party of New BrunswickSociété de l’Acadie du Nouveau-Brunswick
ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

‘Disrespectful’ speech shows Higgs doesn’t understand health crisis, says NB Health Coalition co-chair [video]
Health

‘Disrespectful’ speech shows Higgs doesn’t understand health crisis, says NB Health Coalition co-chair [video]

February 27, 2023

Premier Blaine Higgs delivered his State of the Province speech earlier this month, celebrating what he described as a booming...

COMMENTAIRE: Les déclarations du premier ministre ne sont pas logiques
Articles en français

COMMENTAIRE: Les déclarations du premier ministre ne sont pas logiques

February 27, 2023

Deux reportages récents concernant les soins de santé au Nouveau-Brunswick sont des plus préoccupants pour notre système public. Ces reportages...

Emergency services in Sackville area in decline
Health

COMMENTARY: Premier’s statements on health care make no sense, says head of New Brunswick Union

February 27, 2023

Two recent articles involving health care in New Brunswick are cause for concern for our public system. The articles demonstrate...

COMMENTARY: Front-page newspaper ads missed essential info about Higgs’s true 2022 record
New Brunswick

COMMENTARY: Front-page newspaper ads missed essential info about Higgs’s true 2022 record

January 16, 2023

The end of the year is a time for individuals and governments to take stock. On December 30, our Premier,...

Load More

Recommended

Mi’gmaq title initiative in New Brunswick part of larger Land Back movement

Mi’gmaq title initiative in New Brunswick part of larger Land Back movement

1 day ago
COMMENTAIRE : Même problème. Deux réalités.

COMMENTAIRE : Même problème. Deux réalités.

4 days ago
DÉCLARATION : Medavie ne reconnaît toujours pas la Journée de la vérité et de la réconciliation

DÉCLARATION : Medavie ne reconnaît toujours pas la Journée de la vérité et de la réconciliation

5 days ago
COMMENTARY: Being disabled is not cause for inspiration. Fighting discriminatory policies is.

COMMENTARY: Being disabled is not cause for inspiration. Fighting discriminatory policies is.

10 hours ago
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Create New Account!

Fill the forms below to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In