N.B. election campaign to kick off Thursday, with economy and health major themes

By Hina Alam, The Canadian Press on September 18, 2024.

FREDERICTON – New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs is expected to officially kick off a provincial election campaign Thursday morning with a visit to the lieutenant-governor.

Opposition parties have got a head start, with the Liberals releasing their platform 10 days ago and the Greens launching their campaign today.

Under the province’s fixed-date election law, the vote will take place on Oct. 21.

Central campaign themes are expected to include economic issues, health care, the Progressive Conservative government’s gender identity policy in schools, and Ottawa’s request that the province welcome more asylum seekers.

Higgs, who was first elected in 2018 and was re-elected in 2020, has already promised to lower the harmonized sales tax to 13 per cent from 15 per cent over a two-year period.

The Liberals have promised to open at least 30 community health clinics over the next four years.

The Greens say they will create an “electricity support program,” which would give families earning less than $70,000 annually about $25 per month to offset rate increases.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 18, 2024.

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