New Brunswick premier open to leadership test, remains vague on early election call
CTV
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs says he is willing to call a party vote on his leadership but remains vague on whether he'll call an early provincial election.
New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs said Friday he is open to a party vote on his leadership, but remained vague on whether he'll call an early provincial election.
Higgs is facing a rising wave of dissent from his caucus over his leadership style and his government's changes to the province's policy on sexual orientation in schools. On Thursday, Dorothy Shephard quit as social development minister, and last week, eight Progressive Conservative dissidents -- including Shephard and five other ministers -- sat out question period in protest.
Asked what the odds were of the province heading into an early election, Higgs told reporters, "I don't play the odds, actually. I don't. So, I'm not going to delve into an election philosophy." His majority government's mandate ends in October 2024.
The controversy erupted June 8 after Education Minister Bill Hogan introduced changes to Policy 713, which sets out standards for schools to ensure welcoming and inclusive environments for LGBTQ students. Among the changes is a new requirement for teachers to obtain parental consent before they use the preferred pronouns and names of transgender and nonbinary students under the age of 16.
LGBTQ advocates have said the policy violates the rights of children, but Higgs has said the changes ensure parents are kept informed about issues affecting their kids.
On Thursday, Shephard resigned from Higgs' cabinet and voted with the Opposition on a motion calling on the province's youth and child advocate to review the changes to the LGBTQ policy. Five other members of Higgs' party voted with Shephard: ministers Jeff Carr, Daniel Allain and Trevor Holder, and backbenchers Ross Wetmore and Andrea Anderson-Mason. The Tory rebels caused the motion to pass 26-20.
Higgs defended the revised Policy 713 Friday, saying he is standing up for parents and if doing so requires a leadership review then so be it.
