How many blunders can New Brunswick afford?

There are two things that are certain about this government. First, the left hand doesn’t know what the right hand is doing and, second, they’re not engaging New Brunswickers.

Consider the following examples: the decision in 2006 to turn several university campuses into polytechnic training schools, the uproar that occurred when New Brunswick parents were told the Early French Immersion program was being scrapped for a poor substitute, and more recently the highly unpopular decision to remove provincially operated ferry boats from the waters of the Lower Saint John River.

Also, what about the recent breakdown of the government spin machine that couldn’t clean up the contradicting comments regarding social assistance rates made by Premier Graham and Social Development Minister Mary Schryer?

And, what about the decision to increase provincial taxes in 2007 and then playing hero in the 2009 budget with announcements of tax reductions? Wouldn’t it have just been easier not to increase taxes the first time around?

As I said, in 2007, the Graham government increased taxes straight across the board – income taxes, small business tax – you name it, and they increased it.

Now, as a means of stimulating the economy, the government has announced it will lower taxes, but mostly for those in the high-income bracket. To be precise, the wealthiest 1 300 New Brunswickers will be the benefactors of a tax break worth more than $30 million.

Now, back to the issue of the premier at odds with the Minister of Social Development.

In 2002, when Graham was elected leader of the Liberal party, he promised to bring New Brunswick’s social assistance rates in line with the Atlantic average if elected. He even included it as a part of his party’s platform in the document we have all come to know as the Charter for Change. In his most recent budget there wasn’t even a mention of social assistance rates.

Actions truly do speak louder than words.

Graham defended this by saying that when you come to government you receive better information and your opinion changes. The Social Development minister has stated that the her goal is still to reach the Atlantic average by the end of the mandate, however, based on the premier’s comments it’s becoming clearer and clearer that he is not prepared to give her the necessary resources.

The clock is ticking, and time is running out.

Compare this example with the one I just provided – more money for the rich and no money for the poor.

Furthermore, the Graham government has continued to muddy the public waters near the communities of Belleisle, Gagetown and Hampstead with a number of confusing and mixed messages on the ferry issue.

To begin with, we had the premier and the Minister of Transportation using a stern tone and saying they were sticking with their decision to eliminate ferry service along the Lower Saint John River to save money.

Next, Grand Lake-Gagetown MLA Eugene McGinley announces in the legislature that the service would be extended for a period of 30 days. That decision then turned in to turning some of the services over to a private operator.

Last but not least in this bizarre series of flip flops was the government’s announcement that former Liberal MLA Eric Allaby would be paid $100 an hour to “oversee” the transfer of the service to a private operator. How ironic when the initial reason for this decision was to save money.

Now rewind to 2007 when Premier Graham announced he was thinking about transforming public university campuses in Saint John, Shippagan and Edmundston in to polytechnic training schools.

Only after the decision brought thousands of protesters to the streets, the premier and the former Minister of Post-Secondary Education struck a working group and in the end caved, allowing the universities to continue as they were. Another seven figure report paid for by the taxpayers of New Brunswick that never saw the light of day.

That same year, Education Minister Kelly Lamrock announced his intentions to reform the Early French Immersion system. However, after several public protests, resistance from educators, parents and students, and finally a provincial court judge’s intervention, the minister went back to the drawing board.

In the end, Early French Immersion, as we once knew it, is no more and now children will have to wait until Grade Three to enter a watered-down version of what was once hailed as an internationally acclaimed program.

Leading and governing is not a popularity contest, but the Shawn Graham government is operating as if it is. While the Graham government is shelving studies, backing away from unpopular decisions and setting the spin machine to disaster cleanup mode, the Opposition Leader is leading the way by working with New Brunswickers.

This week Progressive Conservative Party Leader David Alward began the most inclusive, grassroots and democratic public policy consultation process New Brunswick has ever seen. He is seeking the input of New Brunswickers so that solid plans can be made in a focused, thoughtful manner. He knows that poor decisions are made when governments don’t consult or listen to people.

He is reaching out to New Brunswickers and working with them to develop a plan that is right for them. He is making informed choices based on the issues that matter most to New Brunswickers. He is man of his word and will stick to his plan. That’s the approach New Brunswickers need and want. That’s an approach that’s Focused on the Basics.

For these reasons and many more, I am proud to be a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick under the leadership of David Alward.

Trevor Holder is the MLA for Saint John-Portland. He is also the Official Opposition’s Deputy House Leader and Social Development critic.