In his response to the Throne Speech this week, the Official Opposition Leader encouraged the government to keep Liberal programs launched to help post-secondary students afford tuition.
Brian Gallant says the Higgs government is going to ‘evaluate programs offering post-secondary education support.’
“On behalf of the thousands of New Brunswickers benefiting from the Free Tuition Program and from the Tuition Relief for the Middle Class Program, we urge the Conservatives to maintain these programs,” says Gallant. “If they do, we will celebrate their commitment, and give them all of the political credit if that’s what’s needed, Mr. Speaker.”
Gallant claimed their tuition relief programs allowed more than 6,200 New Brunswickers to study for free last year in colleges and universities.
The leader of the Official Opposition also criticized Premier Blaine Higgs for his government’s plan to launch another study on climate change.
Gallant says a previous all party committee on climate change resulted in a Liberal plan with more than 100 action items to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while promoting economic growth.
“Nonetheless, the Conservative government proposes that a new committee be established,” says Gallant. “We see no reason to suspend or put off the implementation of this plan, and more importantly the action items within it, just so we can have another committee.”
Gallant urged the Higgs government to follow the existing action plan on climate change, instead of stalling by creating another all party committee.
Finally, Gallant blasted Premier Blaine Higgs for a promise he calls ‘irresponsible’ regarding fixing the paramedic shortages within one week.
Gallant said this week’s announcement from Higgs and People’s Alliance Party leaader Kris Austin fell far short of fixing the problem.
“I do want to give credit where it is due however, the premier did commit to continue to work on the solutions outlined in the Green Paper that our government prepared and tabled in this house last month,” says Gallant. “That is where the solutions that will truly fix the system will be found.”
Gallant said the Liberals were prepared to work on those Green Paper solutions with the Higgs government.