Higgs avoids the Clash's question, but sees no clear successor if he goes

The question hung in the air along with the echo of the Clash's crunchy, iconic punk guitar riff: should he stay or should he go?

Premier Blaine Higgs avoided the big political question on everyone's minds in his state of the province speech Thursday night.

He suggested last fall he'd use the event to reveal whether he'll stick around to run in the next provincial election in 2024.

Then in December he said he'd take more time to make up his mind.

"I know many of you have a question that you may have expected me to answer tonight, but I have a question for you," the decidedly non-punk premier told the crowd of more than 800 people as he wrapped up the 40-minute speech.

Cue the music, the 1982 classic Should I Stay or Should I Go?

It was inappropriately silly to some, cringey to others never mind incongruous, given the Clash's radical left-wing politics.

But the song allowed the premier to toss the question back at the audience before dancing, not completely rhythmically, off the stage.

Still, there were clues in the speech to what his own answer could be phrases indicating he may be unsure anyone else would stick with his policies if he left.

In a tribute to his caucus of Progressive Conservative MLAs, Higgs didn't mention the name of the party. He defined them another way.

"I want to acknowledge here tonight the MLAs who ran with me. You ran with me as Team Higgs. I'm proud of what we have accomplished together."

On the big screen, he displayed his campaign brochure from his first election run in Quispamsis in 2010, a pamphlet with a dramatic graphic.

"When I look at this, I look at the Band-Aid. I know we're ripping off a lot of Band-Aids lately, but everybody kind of should have known it was coming," he said.

The message: you knew what you were getting with me.

In that 2010 brochure, rookie candidate Higgs named health care, education, energy, debt, N.B. Power, job loss and property taxes as priorities.

"Major improvements have been made on at least four of those seven, and we're working on the other three," Higgs said Thursday night.

The job's not finished, one might say.

WATCH | Premier dad dances off stage at state of the province:

Higgs shows his moves at state of the province speech in Fredericton

2 years ago

Duration 0:43

As a nod to speculation about his future, Premier Blaine Higgs danced himself off stage to the tune of Should I Stay or Should I Go?

And for those who fear electoral defeat because of his dramatic and disruptive initiatives like a plan, now redefined as a "proposal," to phase out French immersion starting this fall Higgs returned to a familiar refrain: avoiding controversy is no way to govern.

"We aren't making decisions to benefit ourselves for the next election," he said of the immersion issue. "We want decisions to benefit the next generation of students."

Higgs dodged attempts pin down his plan

One of his "Team Higgs" MLAs, Fundy-the Isles-Saint John West's Andrea Anderson-Mason, has called on the government to "pump the brakes" on the immersion proposal.

She worries it will undermine a new literacy program also launching this fall.

But Higgs suggested that whatever he decides, it's full speed ahead this year.

"That's why we moved it forward not to say we're coming up with a solution in September 2024.We're going to find a solution, not pass it on to the next generation."

Those are not the words of a premier looking to flee, or postpone, a political storm.

Speaking to reporters after the speech, Higgs was in good humour as he dodged several attempts to pin down his plans.

Again, however, there were tea leaves to read.

As a manager at Irving Oil, he said he learned to hit targets and "always looked for a successor that would build on that success. Learn from what we learned and then continue.

"In politics that doesn't happen. In politics, it doesn't matter what the last one did. Just toss that and go fresh."

So is there someone out there now who will "build on that success?"

"Well, I guess it's possible," Higgs said, telling one reporter,"If someone presents that to you, and they actually have a concrete plan, not just 'I'm going to spend more of your money and hope for the best,' I'll listen."

That sounded like a big "if," like that person has yet to appear. "Not yet, no. I think the most I've heard is 'I'll undo what that one did,'" he said.

He quickly clarified, dropping his playful tone, that he wasn't suggesting there were no worthy successors in his own caucus."No, I won't say that. I don't think that would be fair to my colleagues. I wouldn't say that."

Moments later, five of those colleagues avoided the question that their leader had so perfectly teed up with his musical selection.

"I think it's a great song," said Saint Croix MLA Kathy Bockus. "I think we all need to work together and as a team and continue the work that we've been doing."

Moncton East MLA Daniel Allain praised "a great state of the province speech" but did not use the phrase Team Higgs.

"I'm part of the Progressive Conservative team and we'll continue to work for New Brusnwickers," he said. "We have another 18 months to go. He was elected for four years. If there are decisions to make, we'll talk about them in caucus."

In fact, none of the five PC MLAs came out and said Higgs should stay.

"That's his decision. Only he can decide. For now we're working with him, he's there, and I'm very happy to be part of his team," said Miramichi Bay-Neguac's Rjean Savoie.

"I think he's done a great job," said Carleton-Victoria MLA Margaret Johnson. "We've got work to do and we've got a year and a half to get it done in this mandate."

Anderson-Mason also avoided answering the Clash's question.

"That was a good song. Was that not a good song? I think it was definitely a very good music choice," she said.

"He ended very well. That's what we were all waiting for. And you know everyone's still asking the question."

Fortunately for Higgs and for Team Higgs the music had faded before the lyrics at the 1:20 mark:

If I go there will be trouble

And if I stay it will be double.