People's Alliance folds for good in New Brunswick
CBC
The People's Alliance has once again de-registered as a political party — but this time, it's for good.
"It's heartbreaking," said Michelle Conroy, who was first elected as an MLA with the party in 2018. "It kind of brings up some old memories, and it pulls at the heart strings."
The populist party on the right of the political spectrum folded and restarted in the past, and it recently attempted to rebuild under new leadership and a shifting view of what the right looks like in New Brunswick.
"It was an up and down battle from the beginning," said Conroy, who is now the Progressive Conservative MLA for Miramichi East.
The party submitted the request to de-register on June 23 but asked for an official date of June 30 to "allow them time to wind up their affairs," according to an email statement from Elections New Brunswick.
The party only put 13 candidates forward in the last provincial election and didn't elect any MLAs. Support for the People's Alliance had been dwindling for years.
"It was an experience of a lifetime," said Conroy, who had never imagined a career in politics before Austin approached her to join.
"It was this party and it was Kris and what he stood for that got me into this at the time."
When Austin founded the People's Alliance in this province more than a decade ago, he wanted to distance it from both the PCs and Liberals who, he believed, had become too close on the political spectrum at the time.
Austin, who is now the PC MLA for Grand-Lake Fredericton, declined to comment for this story.
In 2022, Austin told CBC News that his objective when he started the party was to "offer that third alternative."
"If the public saw the two as kind of one meshed party, to me, that's a problem with democracy."
At that time, he had just lost a bid for the PC nomination to run in the 2010 provincial election.
The People's Alliance was built on — and gained voter support for — criticizing how the province offered bilingual services in the health-care system and in the school system.
Hundreds of P.E.I. parents can't find child-care spaces, especially for infants. The provincial government says expanding those spots remains a top priority — and it recognizes the concern.
An Alberta judge says a referendum proposal on Alberta separating from Canada goes against Charter and and Treaty rights, in a decision given less than 24 hours after the provincial government introduced legislation that would have ended the court proceeding.
The architect of Alberta's politician recall legislation says it was never meant to be used as a political weapon, but as an "ultimate tool of accountability" if a politician engages in illegal or unethical behaviour.
The Government of Saskatchewan has introduced its long-promised involuntary treatment legislation on the final day of the fall sitting.
The Law Society of Ontario has suspended the licence of Deepak Paradkar, one of seven Canadians arrested in connection with alleged drug lord Ryan Wedding’s cocaine smuggling ring.
London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) is getting rid of unlimited mental health benefits for staff, blaming ballooning costs and former administrators for implementing it without proper due diligence or oversight.
Netflix has agreed to buy Warner Bros. Discovery's TV and film studios and streaming division for $72 billion US, a deal that would hand control of one of Hollywood's most prized and oldest assets to the streaming pioneer that has upended the media industry.
CBC Calgary kicks off its annual Make the Season Kind campaign this morning at Fratello Coffee Roasters.
CBC Newfoundland and Labrador is kicking off its annual holiday campaign, helping to raise money to support local food banks.
If all goes according to plan, at 6 a.m. AT on Saturday people working at the IWK Health Centre will become the test case for a generational change to Nova Scotia’s health-care system.
One month after Prime Minister Mark Carney announced what he called "generational" military spending, New Brunswick’s defence ecosystem is on high alert.
Miranda Mirlycourtois, 34, looks directly at the camera and makes a confession.
Saskatoon city hall says police spending is projected to be $2.6 million over budget this year. That pushes the city into a $1.2-million deficit position, according to a report that will be considered by city council next week.