Farewells and sparring mark legislature's last day before election

With a final mix of cross-partisan bonhomie and a few well-rehearsed pre-campaign attacks, New Brunswick MLAs wrapped up the last session of the legislature Friday ahead of September's election.

Seven retiring members five Liberals and two Progressive Conservatives paid tribute to their colleagues, families, and even their opponents in a series of heartfelt farewell speeches.

Then, with scarcely a pause for breath, Liberal Premier Brian Gallant and Opposition PC Leader Blaine Higgs sparred in the final question period of the session.

Higgs demanded that Gallant ask for an early ruling from the federal government on whether theLiberal carbon-price plan will meet Ottawa's requirement and what the consequences will be if it doesn't.

Election themes

It's one of the likely themes the PCs will use during the election, which will begin officially in late August but which has been underway rhetorically for months. The Tories will seek to convince voters that Liberal policies will lead to new taxes in 2019.

"Is this government deferring the issue until after the election?" Higgs asked. "The people have a right to know what is going to come down the pike from the federal government."

Ottawa has said it will impose its own carbon tax on provinces whose systems don't meet the requirement for an additional "price incentive" for consumers to burn less carbon dioxide.

• Federal environment minister questions province's carbon price plan

Gallant's plan will redefine a slice of the existing 15.5-cent-per-litre gas tax as a carbon tax, allowing the premier to tell voters they won't be paying more.

"There will be no carbon price increase when it comes to consumers," he said in question period.

But Gallant refused again to say what might happen if that proves unacceptable to Ottawa a decision federal officials will only consider after Sept. 1 of this year. He instead insisted the federal government should approve the New Brunswick plan.

Liberal controversies raised

The PC opposition also raised the controversial contract outsourcing management of extramural care to Medavie, another issue they are likely to bring up during the campaign later this year.

And they questioned government policies that led to aFredericton woman having to find her own way home from Miramichi after being taken to a provincial jail there, only to be promptly released.

In closing speeches just before adjournment, Gallant and Higgs each sought to contrast themselves with the other leader.

Gallant again defended big Liberal spending, and a growing deficit, as an investment in the future.

Higgs repeated his argument that in areas such aseconomic growth and wait times in health care,the province hasn't seen improvements, despite three years of Liberal spending.

Farewells

But the rancorous rehearsal of the two parties' broad campaign themes was an interlude in a day that saw MLAs decidedly less partisan and more sympathetic to their counterparts across the aisle.

Attorney-General Serge Rousselle, who announced this week he will not run again, acknowledged Progressive Conservative MLA Ted Flemming as "an extraordinary guy I think you've become a friend." He also said he appreciated Green Party Leader David Coon's work.

"We debate here in the house, but above all, we're human beings who want to see our communities and our society to progress," Rousselle said.

Similarly, Progressive ConservativeMadeleine Dube, who is also retiring, sent best wishes to Rousselle and the four other retiring Liberals.

"Thanks for your friendship. To all MLAs, it was a privilege to serve with you," she said.

The other MLAs who said farewell were Liberals Victor Boudreau, Bertrand LeBlanc, Ed Doherty, Hedard Albert, and Tory Jody Carr.

Doherty thanked his 95-year-old mother, who he said watches the legislature on television every day, "who tells me when I look tired, who checks out my ties that I am wearing. I want to say: thank you, Mum."

Royal assent

Following the farewell speeches, Lieutenant-Governor Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau gave royal assent to legislation passed in the final days of the session.

• Your neighbourhood weed retailer will be called CannabisNB

They include laws that will govern the legal retail sale of cannabis, create the carbon-pricing system, require municipal election candidates to publicly disclose their campaign donations, and ban the depiction of ministers and MLAs in government advertising.

The session was adjourned but it technically doesn't end until the legislature is dissolved by the lieutenant-governor 32 days before the Sept. 24 election.