FREDERICTON — New Brunswick's Progressive Conservative leader says voters don't need to worry that his election platform doesn't include the price tag for his party's promises.
Blaine Higgs, who is running for a third term as premier, says his government has balanced the budget for six years and will do so again if he's re-elected.
"I don't think there's a soul in this province who is questioning our balanced budget capability, even through floods, even through a pandemic, all through the growth we've seen in our province, we've balanced the budget," he said, hours before CTV Atlantic is to air a roundtable featuring Higgs and his two main opponents.
The Tories released their platform on Saturday with no advance notice. It is two pages long and has 11 promises, including a two per cent cut to the harmonized sales tax and a vow to "fight the Trudeau carbon tax legally and politically." He has said that his tax cut promise, made before the election campaign, will cost about $450 million a year.
Higgs noted his promise to sue Liberal Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government over the federal carbon pricing scheme.
It would have a "very minor, if any," cost attached to it, said the Tory leader, noting that the lawsuit hasn't started. As well, he said, if the next Canadian election is won by the federal Conservatives led by Pierre Poilievre — who has promised to get rid of the carbon price — then there won't be a need for a lawsuit at all.
Later on Wednesday, CTV will air a roundtable discussion with Higgs, Liberal Leader Susan Holt and Green Leader David Coon, which will be the last chance voters will have to hear the leaders exchange ideas before election day on Monday.
Coon said he's scheduled to spend the last few days of the campaign door-knocking in his riding of Fredericton-Lincoln. He said he's "excited" about the election and looking forward to winning.
CTV senior anchor Todd Battis will host the leaders roundtable from St. Thomas University in Fredericton. It will air on CTV and be streamed online from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. local time.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 16, 2024.
The Canadian Press
