Leaders make identical promises as campaign moves into 3rd week

With New Brunswick now in its third week of an election campaign, party leaders are announcing similar promises, and almost stumbling over each other on the campaign trail.

On Monday, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs was at the Saint John harbourfront, where he promised his government would continue its support the emergingsector of small modular nuclear reactor, or SMR, technology.

Higgs made the promise in the same spot where Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers announcedhe would bring small modular reactor production to New Brunswick by partnering with the federal government.

• Growing strength of N.B. third parties being tested in provincial election

Vickers andGreen Party Leader David Coon have been stepping on each others toes as well. On Monday, both leaders made promises to end glyphosate spraying in the province.

Coon and Vickers could also both be found in Miramichion Saturday. Coon was making an announcement about promoting Indigenous languages.Vickers was promising to boost the New Brunswick population.

• Elections NB sees jump in mail-in ballots over fears of COVID-19

Both party leaders were in Moncton the day before, with Coon announcing the Greens' roster of female candidates, and Vickers attacking Higgs over a lack of affordable housing.

On Friday, the twoleaders were both outside the Dr. Everett Chalmers hospital at the same time, Vickers to promise competitive salaries for nursing graduates, and Coon to address the province's shortage ofdoctors.

Monday was no exception out on the campaign trails toward the Sept. 14 election. Here's what the leaders were talking about.

Vickers changes Liberal course onglyphosate spraying

Both the Liberal and Green parties promised to eliminate the use ofindustrial herbicide on public land across New Brunswick.

The controversial weed killer has been used by NB Power to clear vegetation around power lines.It has also been usedby forestry companies likeJ.D.IrvingLtd.

Environmental advocates, as well as New Brunswick's Green Parties and People's Alliance, have opposed the chemical's use on public land,arguing it is a carcinogen.

New Brunswick's previous Liberal government under Brian Gallant allowed the use of glyphosate by industry.And when Gallant fired the chief medical officer, Dr. Eilish Cleary, in 2015,critics suspected her opposition to the use of glyphosate was the reason.

But in Rogersville on Monday, Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers promised to phase out glyphosateon Crown landover a four-year period.

"This land is owned by New Brunswickers, and New Brunswickers should have a say in what we do with it," he said.

Coon vows to take on big forest companies

Green Party Leader David Coon said he would end the practice of indiscriminate clear-cutting in New Brunswick.

He said it was hurting wildlife, reducing the value of timber to grow the forest, and hurting the province's tourism sector.

"Everyone knows that so much power has been handed over to the large forestry companies to make the decisions about how our forests are being managed," Coonsaid in Kedgewick. "And that's wrong. And we will change that."

Instead, a Green government would offerselective logging, where onlycertain trees are cut down based on their size or species. Coon said this would encourage the national regrowth of trees.

"When people come to New Brunswick, they expect to see trees, not clearcuts," Coon said.

Higgs says he's the leader for 'uncertain times'

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs boasted abouthis government's pre-COVID-19handling of the finances, which he said has allowed more resources forhealth care andeducation.

He alsoprided himself in an improved credit rating, making investors more confidentin New Brunswick as a place to do business.

"I am very proud of the momentum we have created over the last number of months and we were doing that until COVID hit," he said.

"In many ways it was devastating for our economy, but now we're getting back on track."

Higgssaid New Brunswickers need a team with a proven track record to lead them throughuncertain times.

"No one knows how the pandemic might evolve," he said. "But we do know that change is coming, and we'll all be challenged even more in the coming months and the years ahead."

Higgs also promised to continue with research and development in the field of small modular nuclear reactors.

"We are seizing an opportunity for New Brunswick to develop technology that will put our province and our entire country back on the map as a global emissions reduction leader," he said.

"We have a strong plan to position New Brunswick to be at the forefront of this emerging sector, and we're seeing positive results already."

Thomason attends defunding the police rally

NDP Leader Mackenzie Thomasonattended a rally Monday in Monctonto defund the police, a call often heard during protests against systemic racism in policing.

Thomason, who was the only party leader at the event, spoke to the audience about the importance of addressing social values. Thomasoncritized the other four party leaders for not attending the event, as well as a protest that was held in Rothesay last week on abortion access.

"I fail to understand that for the second time in a row, I am the only party leader at an important rally for social values and justice reform." Thomason said. "Are they that out of touch with New Brunswickers?"

Where the leaders are today

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers will be making an announcement at 10 a.m. at the University of Moncton.

PC Leader Blaine Higgs will be making an announcement in Moncton at11 a.m.

People's Alliance Party Leader Kris Austin will be at theBrownvilleFarm where he will be making an announcement about food security at 11:30 a.m.

Green Party Leader David Coon will make an announcement in the local service district ofMadran, in northern New Brunswick,at 12 p.m. about economic development in rural areas.

NDP Leader Mackenzie Thomason will be campaigning, but no details were available.

Standings at dissolution:PCs 20, Liberals 20, Greens, 3, People's Alliance 3, Independent 1, vacancies 2

For complete coverage|Links to all New Brunswick votes 2020 stories