Higgs says internal PC turmoil makes him more likely to run in next N.B. election

Premier Blaine Higgs now says the current turmoil in his Progressive Conservative government caucus has him leaning toward sticking around and running in the New Brunswickelection scheduled for next year.

Far from pushing him out the door, the premier said, the mini-rebellion over two education initiatives makes him more likely to stay on as leader.

"I'm not one to run away from issues and I would say this sort of debate internally within our own group, this sort of uncertainty, does not cause me to run away," he told Radio-Canada in an interview Wednesday.

"It causes me to really kind of buckle down and say, 'the province is too important to be split on these issues and we need to keep the progress moving.'

"That is what's weighing heavy on my mind. Are we going to keep the ball rolling?"

Last week, six PC cabinet ministers and two backbenchers refused to take their seats in the legislature for the morning and issued a statement complaining about "a lack of process and transparency."

That statement followed the release of the government's changes to Policy 713 on LGBTQstudents in provincial schools.

WATCH|Premier Higgs tells Radio-Canada he may run in 2024:

Higgs doubles down on his defence of Policy 713

1 year ago

Duration 1:54

Blaine Higgs tells Radio-Canada hes leaning toward running in the next election to protect his policy legacy.

This week, the two backbenchers, Andrea Anderson-Mason and Ross Wetmore, voted with the opposition parties to try to send a government bill to the law amendments committee, which would have led to public hearings, slowing down passage of the legislation.

Anderson-Mason and Wetmore both said the bill's neutering of anglophone district education councils to advisory bodies risks centralizing too much power in Fredericton at the expense of local communities.

That motion was defeated 24-21, but it's still not clear if the bill itself will pass, and Higgs says the legislature may need to extend its session into next week to get it done.

The premier has professed for months to be undecided about whether to seek another term next year or hand off the PC leadership to someone else before the campaign.

In February, he poked fun at the speculation about the future by leaving the stage after his annual state of the province speech to the Clash song, Should I Stay or Should I Go.

But now he says the division in his caucus has led him to question what will happen to his policies under a new PC leader and premier.

"If we can't get our own house in order so that we have a good process to transitionand continue the momentum of what the province is experiencing right now, then I can't walk away from what we've achieved to date," he said.

"I can't walk away from a situation we've left in chaos. And right now, the way our party is not coherent is difficult. We have to fix this issue internally and then make that decision."

The next election is scheduled for Oct. 21, 2024.