New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs delivers the state of the province address in Fredericton on Thursday, Feb. 9, 2023. New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is set to bring new voices in a cabinet shuffle today. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Stephen MacGillivray
FREDERICTON – New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs has bounced two ministers from cabinet and added some new faces as he confronts turmoil within his Progressive Conservative caucus.
The new cabinet sworn in today follows the recent resignations of two ministers who objected to the premier’s leadership style.
Daniel Allain, who was minister of local government, and Jeff Carr, who was transport minister, were dropped.
Allain and Carr both signed a letter earlier this month expressing their “extreme disappointment in a lack of process and transparency” after the premier made controversial changes to the province’s policy on sexual orientation in schools.
The letter was also signed by Dorothy Shephard, who served as social development minister, and Trevor Holder, who had been labour minister, and they later quit cabinet.
Higgs has replaced Allain in the local government portfolio with Glen Savoie, while Carr was replaced by Richard Ames as minister of Transport.
Five new ministers were named to the 18-person cabinet, and eight positions were changed in the shuffle.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 27, 2023.
