Higgs villainized teachers, Indigenous people in debate performance

During last week’s debate, Blaine Higgs was asked by moderator Clare MacKenzie about the flyers that Campaign Life Coalition has recently distributed across New Brunswick. It would appear this question caused Higgs some measure of anxiety. His barely-coherent response suggests he was struggling with the difficult task of speaking clearly while evidently trying to deceive the public.

Higgs did, however, say two words worth exploring: free speech. In his answer to MacKenzie, Higgs said, “I just want to say that it’s the free speech that’s happening there that is not related to what either I agree with or don’t agree with.” If we parse this garbled utterance, it would appear Higgs is doing his best Voltaire impression as he affirms the importance of free speech to a democratic society.

There is no doubt that free speech is essential for a functioning democracy. Further, when we dig a little deeper into this concept, we quickly discover that the necessary precondition for free speech is a mind not beholden to power. Only when a person is free from the constraints of power can they see clearly, think clearly and speak truthfully. Thus, freedom of speech is more than an abstract concept, there is a social aspect to it. These are truisms that have been well understood for centuries.

In light of this, it’s interesting to note what Higgs does not say about free speech. At no point, throughout his long tenure as a politician, has Higgs ever addressed how the Irving newspaper monopoly (now Postmedia) might serve to hinder free speech. This supposed champion of free expression and former Irving executive has never publicly contemplated whether a corporate media monopoly might place constraints on free speech. A thoughtful observer might wonder why this is. How deep does Higgs’ commitment to free speech and honest inquiry actually go? It would appear the waters are rather shallow here.

When asked about the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey title claims Higgs was alarmist: “Our entire province is being claimed for ownership.” He goes on to say, “They want the property, the property value, they want taxes to come to them… taxes that we use for everyone.” Higgs then positions himself as the one who will ensure “private citizens are respected.” This is an important moment in the debate because it brings together the various ties that bind this tortured lawmaker.

Higgs almost certainly knows that framing the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey title claims in these terms is misleading. Indigenous leaders have been clear that “they are not seeking to displace New Brunswickers or otherwise impact their property rights,” as a lawyer representing the Wolastoqey nations put it. Rather, the heart of these claims pertains to Crown land and to pretend otherwise is pure deception. This deception, however, has an important function in a public relations offensive that operates on two levels.

First, if Higgs can convince enough voters that Indigenous people intend to “kick New Brunswickers out of their homes and expropriate their land” and only he can protect them — as Mi’kmaw legal scholar Pamela Palmater described Higgs’ rhetoric — that may help him hold on to power. Second, if Higgs remains in office, and he can foster sufficient anti-Indigenous sentiment, that may help him as he seeks to protect the interests of his true constituents, notably J.D. Irving Ltd. and other major forestry companies. Racism remains a valuable tool and Higgs wields it with frightening competence in his efforts to serve New Brunswick’s oligarchs.

So, what comes next? If Higgs remains in power, we should expect he will continue policing the speech of civil servants by maintaining the ban on the use of terms such as ‘unceded’ and ‘unsurrendered’ in land acknowledgements. We should expect him to continue welcoming the kind of “free speech” that villainizes teachers and fosters fear among parents while policing speech he opposes. Lastly, we should expect him to continue misrepresenting the Mi’kmaq and Wolastoqey title claims in his effort to foster anti-Indigenous fears among voters. In short, we have every reason to expect that Higgs will continue sowing division among the people of New Brunswick as he seeks to serve corporate power. That is the person he is choosing to be right now. The question facing all of us is this: who do we want to be?

Reverend Chris Walker is an ordained minister with the United Church of Canada and serves in rural ministry.