The New Brunswick legislature in Fredericton. (Image: Brad Perry)
The Liberals took the Higgs Conservatives to task for using the notwithstanding clause in connection with their immunization legislation.
Interim Liberal leader Denis Landry asked Education Minister Dominic Cardy twice about what the Liberals consider the impact of using the controversial clause.
“Is he personally OK with denying people their Charter rights?” Landry said during Tuesday afternoon’s question period.
Cardy says the decision to use the notwithstanding clause is not taken lightly, but brought on by increasing anti-vaccination sentiment.
“Folks who routinely on pages that I’m well aware MLAs from the opposition side of the house have reviewed and participated in, in some cases, [which include] expressions of anti-Semitism and belief that the Earth is flat,” Cardy said.
Landry brought up former premier Richard Hatfield and pointed out that Hatfield pledged to never use the notwithstanding clause when it was introduced back in 1982.
Premier Blaine Higgs said clearly this a different time than in 1982.
“Now we are in a situation where we really don’t know how many kids are protected coming to school. We have more people coming to our country now from all over the world which is great thing because we need everyone of them but, Mr. Speaker, we want to ensure the health of our children,” Higgs said.
Higgs noted it will be an open vote on the immunization bill, but he hopes it won’t be a political discussion.
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