Solidarity

The party states that:
– the fight against climate change and the transition towards a green economy needs an activist government, as well as the mobilization of all sectors of society. If everyone is to contribute, it is essential that each person is respected and feels secure in a society that values them.
– a Green society celebrates and protects social and cultural equality and diversity.
– to achieve this, we must make peace with one another by recognizing the vulnerability of certain groups and communities. We must collectively reject racism, sexism, homophobia, and mistrust towards those who are different from the majority.
– we must counter the idea that democracy is simply the rule of the majority. It also includes the right of all people to equality in society.

With the Disabled 

The party states that:
– according to 2017 data, 26.7 per cent of New Brunswick’s population aged 15 and over has one or more disabilities, the second highest rate among all provinces and territories.
– significant progress has been made to raise awareness about people with disabilities, but much remains to be done to obtain reliable, consistent, and inclusive services in the public and private sectors.
– each person must be granted both the right and opportunity to reach their full potential as autonomous individuals, empowered to assert control over their own circumstances and to assume the responsibility of active citizenship within supportive communities.

The party advocates:
– implementing the recommendations of the July 2020 report of the Premier’s Council on the Status of Persons with Disabilities.
– legislating improved building codes and adopting universal design regulations for accessibility in all public facilities and buildings.
– abolishing the unjust policy which denies access to mental health services to people with autism and people with intellectual disabilities.
– removing people with disabilities from the current social assistance categories and policies and implementing a Guaranteed Liveable Income pilot project to provide them with an adequate income.
– ensuring that people with disabilities have access to affordable housing that includes all necessary equipment.
– increasing access for people with disabilities to affordable transportation services in communities.

Indigenous Peoples 

The party states that:
– the provincial government must no longer postpone the identification and correction of biases towards First Nations in our systems, including healthcare, childcare, education, and justice systems.

The party advocates:
– establishing a nation-to-nation relationship with First Nations in accordance with the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP) and implementing, without delay, the recommendations of the Truth and Reconciliation Commission and those of the National Inquiry into Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls.
– ordering a public inquiry into the New Brunswick justice and policing systems to shed light on the systemic biases towards indigenous peoples and correct them.
– support for the training of Indigenous language teachers and Indigenous student immersion programs for Wabanaki languages and ensure that school curricula promote a better understanding among all students of the history and meaning of Indigenous languages and cultures.
– each person must be granted both the right and opportunity to reach their full potential as autonomous individuals, empowered to assert control over their own circumstances and to assume the responsibility of active citizenship within supportive communities.

Rural Communities

Local Self-Reliance

The party states that:
– New Brunswick communities must be in charge of their own destiny to the greatest extent possible. Resilient, sustainable communities require economies that meet local needs and are locally controlled, minimizing dependency on external forces.
– self-reliance and resilience is built on public assets placed in the hands of and dedicated to the service of local communities.
– local self-reliance is integral to the shift to a society which respects the ecological and social limits of human production.
– New Brunswickers must have meaningful opportunities to participate in the decisions that affect their lives, created through responsive and decentralized democratic processes, structures and institutions.

In order to bring the provincial health care system back to human scale, the party advocates bringing decision-making about the delivery of public services closer to the communities that use them, and by reinvesting in those services to meet the needs and expectations of the public. This includes:
– establishing community health centres throughout the province, to offer the services of a variety of professionals, including family doctors, mental healthcare specialists, nurse practitioners, dieticians, respiratory technicians, and midwives.
– maintaining emergency services and acute care beds in rural hospitals.

Francophones and Anglophones; Cultural Duality

The party states that:
– the provincial government has an important role to play in closing the gaps that exist between francophone and anglophone regions, supporting duality in health and education services, educating the population on issues relating to our official languages, and promoting the cultures of diverse communities.

The party advocates:
– creating a Legislative Standing Committee on Official Languages, and reviewing the Official Languages Act through an open and transparent process.
– ensuring that seniors have access to long term care in the language of their choice.
– increasing the Commissioner of Official Languages’ budget to promote the advancement of both official languages in the province.
– obtaining some authority over immigration to respond to the needs of New Brunswick, and adopting a management structure that respects the principle of duality in matters of francophone immigration.
– providing free language training programs in both official languages in community colleges and public libraries.
– maintaining the Memramcook Institute as the provincial, community, cultural and historical asset that it is, and providing funding to ensure its continued role in the local community and for all Acadians.

Racialized people

The party states that:
– racialized people experience systemic racism and oppression in Canada and New Brunswick. Prejudice and stereotypes have no place in a fair and green society. The government must act to eliminate the racism embedded in provincial political, social, and cultural systems to allow racialized minorities to fully participate in society.

The party advocates:
– including in school curricula the study of the history of slavery, segregation, and systemic oppression in Canada and in New Brunswick.
– ordering a study of the personal, social, and economic impact of racism in New Brunswick, and developing a strategic anti-racism plan to repair this damage and prevent racism going forward.

Immigrants & Newcomers

The party advocates:
– collaborating with the Multicultural Council of New Brunswick and its partner organizations to increase employment possibilities for immigrants and newcomers.
– increasing the Commissioner of Official Languages’ budget to promote the advancement of both official languages in the province.
– obtaining some authority over immigration to respond to the needs of New Brunswick, and adopting a management structure that respects the principle of duality in matters of francophone immigration.

Solidarity

The party states, as a matter of constitutional principle, that:
– through a commitment to equal opportunity, and a belief in the inherent dignity of all people, it will strive to advance progressive and innovative policies and programs designed to overcome social inequities, whether based on economic or regional factors, age, gender and sexual orientation, ethnic background, or physical or mental ability.
 

With the Marginalized 

Accessibility
The party states that:
– New Brunswick has the second-highest disability rate in Canada.
– accessibility legislation would help reduce barriers and provide equity for those with disabilities.
– to that end, it advocates ensuring the timely implementation of effective legislation comparable to other provinces.

Special Care Home Subsidies

The party states that:
– it recognizes the financial challenges faced by special care home residents due to insufficient subsidies intended to help pay for personal items, clothing, and some medication not covered by the New Brunswick Prescription Drug Program, which not been increased since 2005.  It also acknowledges the critical importance of ensuring special care home residents have access to necessary resources.
– it therefore advocates an immediate assessment, an equitable increase in subsidies, and the establishment of a continuous review mechanism to monitor the impact of these increased subsidies on residents’ well-being.

Mental Health and Addictions Support

The party states that:
– mental health and addictions represent significant challenges affecting the well-being of individuals across New Brunswick, and should be an integral component of primary care.
– the current Interdepartmental Action Plan for Mental Health and Addictions requires review and improvement to address the evolving needs of the province.

The party advocates:
– immediate establishment of an action plan within the first year of its mandate, to prioritize mental health and addictions as a key focus area and including review of previous plans and studies, seeking areas for improvement to enhance the effectiveness of the Interdepartmental Action Plan.
– designating mental health and addictions care as a separate organizational component within the Health Authorities, ensuring dedicated resources and specialized attention.
– integrating licenced therapists into primary healthcare settings, facilitating faster access to expert care for individuals facing mental health and addiction issues.
– exploring innovative solutions such as outsourcing with virtual care and technology or contracting private providers on an interim basis, thereby increasing the capacity and accessibility of mental health and addiction services while recognizing the scarcity of mental health resources in the province.
– ensure meaningful and sustainable community engagement and resourcing in the provision of mental health and addiction care and services.

Mental Health Courts

The party states that:
– the Mental Health Court offers an alternative for offenders with mental health issues.  It is widely praised by mental health advocates for its focus on community treatment as opposed to incarceration or other sanctions, and was developed based on best practices in other jurisdictions and informed by research.  Other provinces, including Nova Scotia, have recognized the benefits of having a Mental Health Court and have made a commitment to expanding availability.
– during a former term in office, the party reinstated the Mental Health Court through the Provincial Court system in Saint John, with plans to expand Mental Health Court Services throughout the province.  There exists a need to expand the Mental Health Court program to other regions of the province so that more offenders with mental health issuers can avail themselves of this invaluable service for addressing their mental health needs.

The party advocates:
– comprehensive expansion of the Mental Health Court program across the entire province, including providing the appropriate resources and funding, strategic partnerships, and the implementation of evidence-based practices to ensure the program’s effectiveness in addressing mental health issues within the judicial system.

Indigenous Peoples

Healthcare

The party states that:
– historical and ongoing disparities in healthcare outcomes for Indigenous peoples necessitate a commitment to meaningful consultation to address systemic issues facing Indigenous peoples within the province.
– First Nation communities have long identified mental health and addictions as a healthcare priority.  Considering the longstanding crisis in this sector, there is an urgent need to prioritize the implementation of specific recommendations aimed at improving the physical and mental health of Indigenous communities.
– First Nation healthcare leaders in New Brunswick are currently engaged in developing plans to improve the health status of their community members.

The party advocates:
– establishment by First Nation Chiefs of a bilateral forum and an ongoing process to arrive at sustainable and meaningful dialogue with the goal of achieving culturally safe and equitable healthcare outcomes for Indigenous people in the province.
– provincial commitment to engaging and working in partnership with Indigenous communities and organizations to co-create and implement mental health and addictions programs that meet culturally safe First Nation service and practice standards of care.

Reconciliation

The party states that:
– relations between the Government of New Brunswick and Indigenous peoples have been adversarial for many years.
– Indigenous peoples are one of the youngest and fastest-growing populations in New Brunswick.
– several significant challenges in New Brunswick can only be resolved through improved relationships between the Government of New Brunswick and Indigenous peoples.
– the Peace and Friendship Treaties, covenant chains signed between the Crown and the Mi’gmaq, Penobscot, Wolastoqiyik, Abenaki, and Peskotomuhkati, establish a government-to-government relationship and partnership, and these treaties recognize the partnership between First Nations in New Brunswick and the provincial and federal governments.  But full implementation of the Peace and Friendship Treaties has not been realized under current provincial government policies.

The party advocates:
– as a first step in building new relationships to support more effective collaboration and solutions for both the Government of NB, Indigenous peoples, and First Nations governments, reviewing all current civil court claims and actions between the Province of New Brunswick and Indigenous peoples, and making good faith efforts to resolve those claims and actions by settlement agreement, or where appropriate, through withdrawal from the litigation.
– provincial commitment to being a true partner with the Mi’gmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Peskotomuhkati, including focus on implementation of the Peace and Friendship Treaties to foster the economic and social advancement of New Brunswick.

Natural Resources

The party states that:
– New Brunswick possesses existing and potential natural resources.  There is a legal obligation to consult with First Nations in the province on developments impacting Aboriginal or Treaty Rights.
– the First Nations of New Brunswick never ceded lands with the signing of the Peace and Friendship Treaties.
– involvement of First Nations as partners in negotiations on natural resource development projects in their traditional lands is essential to assess risks and potential benefits.

The party advocates:
– collaborating with the First Nations of New Brunswick to obtain consent on development projects on their lands.
– working with First Nations to establish a revenue sharing model benefiting all New Brunswickers, including the Mi’gmaq, Wolastoqiyik, and Peskotomuhkati Nations.
 

Rural Communities

The party states that:
– New Brunswick has a long and rich history in the Agriculture and Agri-food industry.  Industry players have proven to be very innovative, and the agriculture sector has seen immense transformation over the last few decades.
– the recent pandemic brought new light to the rise in food insecurity in the province.
– New Brunswick has a surplus of abandoned farmland that has become non-productive.

The party advocates:
– a full assessment of abandoned farmland, and working stakeholders to actively plan and manage these properties for agricultural needs, including encouraging the value added of New Brunswick farmed goods to optimize industry growth.

Cellular Coverage

The party states that:
– many citizens in New Brunswick lack acceptable cellular coverage, although the increasing reliance on cellular usage for daily tasks makes coverage essential.  Cellular usage is a critical tool for economic development, an area in which New Brunswick cannot afford to lag behind;
– poor cellular coverage poses safety risks to the citizens of New Brunswick.  Yet New Brunswick has historically been a leader in the information technology sector.

The party advocates:
– development of a clear, time-bound plan to achieve comprehensive provincial cellular coverage, reinforcing New Brunswick’s position as a leader in this field.

Rural Transportation

The party states that:
– many seniors in New Brunswick’s rural communities may not have access to automobile transportation.  The ability of seniors to participate in social, educational, and cultural activities often depends on access to alternative transportation modes beyond personal vehicles.
– similar transportation needs are also present among the younger population.

The party advocates:
– development of a comprehensive provincial transportation strategy that addresses the needs of both seniors and the younger population in rural areas.

Needs Assessment

The party states that:
–  many residents of rural New Brunswick feel that the challenges of their daily living, including transportation, access to healthcare, emergency services, and policing, are not adequately addressed.
– some rural areas, particularly isolated island communities, face unique challenges.

The party advocates:
– active exploration of opportunities to aid rural communities and advocate effectively for their specific needs, ensuring equitable access to essential services and support.

Immigrants & Newcomers

Housing-Aware Immigration Policy

The party states that New Brunswick is facing significant challenges related to housing availability and affordability.  At the same time, the province needs to develop an immigration policy that addresses housing concerns while still leveraging the economic and social benefits of immigration.

The party advocates a housing-aware immigration policy that includes elements to support seniors with health conditions or impairments requiring in-house caregivers and encourages skilled immigrants to build their own homes, including:
– Immigrant Live-in Caregivers: Prioritizing immigrant caregivers for live-in positions with seniors with health conditions or impairments. Such arrangements eliminate the need for additional housing, ensuring immigrants contribute to meeting social needs without straining the housing supply.
– Seeking Skilled Immigrants Committed to Homebuilding: To address the housing shortage, draw policy elements from the entrepreneur class immigration criteria targeting skilled immigrants committed to building their own homes.
– Preferential Immigration Sponsorship: Skilled immigrants demonstrating the ability to build their own new home within a year of moving to NB will be given preferential allocation weight. The provincial government will provide support systems such as information on available financing, CMHC programs, and guidance on building regulations.

Indigenous Peoples 

The party states that:
– Indigenous peoples in New Brunswick continue to suffer from deep inequality and injustices. It is committed to meaningful reconciliation, and to making the province more equal, just and inclusive.
– working in partnership with Indigenous peoples, we advocates working to protect the environment, defend the vulnerable and reduce inequality.
– it recognizes and remembers that New Brunswick is located in the traditional territory of the Wolastoqey (Maliseet), Mi’Kmaq and Peskotomuhkati (Passamaquoddy) Nations.
– it will work wherever possible to facilitate the health and wellness projects First Nations communities request to meet their needs.
– it will encourage and support First Nation entrepreneurship so that First Nation communities become more independent and self-sustaining.
– it advocates ensuring that the “Jordan Principle,” that First Nations people are not disadvantaged by jurisdictional squabbles between the federal and provincial governments, is respected and First Nations in New Brunswick get the help they need.
– in moving  towards a fair and just approach to the use of lands called ‘Crown lands,’ the province must be guided by principles laid out in the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. It advocates development of legislation and policy with these facts in mind and with meaningful consultation with New Brunswick’s First Nations communities.
– as a measure of good faith, it advocates officially renaming the Saint John River to its original name, the Wolastoq River, as recommended by the Wolastoq Grand Council as an important act towards fostering Reconciliation.

Northern & Rural Communities

That party states that as part of its overall strategy for generating economic growth, it is committed to focusing on the priorities of Northern communities, including the following:

Investing in infrastructure

The party states that Roads and highways are important trade corridors that connect the province’s northern and rural communities. Successive prior governments have neglected to adequately invest in northern infrastructure priorities. As a result, Northerners are being shut out from sharing in the province’s prosperity.  For too long, the northeast region of New Brunswick has not received its fair share of highway construction funds. There are serious problems getting goods to and from the industries in the Peninsula—including fisheries, lumber, blueberries and peat moss. Trucking costs are more than they should be because the highway infrastructure is inadequate.

The party advocates:
– prioritizing completion of a limited access highway from Janeville to Bertrand by allocating highway construction funds from the existing annual capital budget to complete the $82-million portion of the project. This was called for by the mayors of the Pensinsua back in 2015.
– upgrading the Road to Resources from St Quentin to Bathurst from a chip seal to a paved road.

Industrial development

The party advocates:
– through its Public Investment Bank, investing in creation of a galvanising plant located in northern New Brunswick to service the many small and medium iron and sheet metal fabrication plants. Currently galvanising involves costly transport to and from Montreal. A locally owned and operated zinc coating plant would add a key missing ingredient to the current industrial infrastructure of the North.
– as part of its forestry and rural development policy, strengthening the Woodlot Owners Marketing Board’s ability to address the bargaining imbalance between the large forestry companies and private woodlot owners in the North and other rural communities, and re-opening the Forestry Act to ensure fair access to Crown Land, and in addition implementing sustainable logging practices and eliminating clear cutting and glyphosate spraying.
– renewed emphasis on supporting secondary manufacturing and services by investing in the traditional industries of the North—farming, fishing and forestry.
– significant improvements to tourism and investment in the Arts.

Support for Rural Communities

The party states that many rural New Brunswickers feel a sense of despair that the provincial government has turned its back on them. It’s time to give rural communities the support they deserve so they can thrive again.

To that end, the party advocates:
– creating a Blueberry Marketing Board to ensure a fair price for blueberries and cranberries.
– passing legislation to empower the Woodlot Owners’ Marketing Board to redress the bargaining imbalance between the large forestry companies and private woodlot owners and re-open the Forestry Act.
– declaring a moratorium on rural school closures until a more community-inclusive policy can be developed in consultation with rural communities.
– supporting value-added exports from our primary industries of agriculture, forestry and fishing with assistance from its proposed Public Investment Bank.
– requiring all public institutions—including hospitals, schools and correctional centres—to adopt a “Buy in New Brunswick” food policy.

Immigrants & Newcomers

The party has published no current specific statement concerning its policies relating to:
• Immigrants & newcomers

Solidarity with the Marginalized  |  Indigenous Peoples  |  Rural Communities  |  Immigrants & Newcomers

The party has published no current statement concerning its policies relating to:

• Journeying with the marginalized
• Indigenous peoples
• Northern & rural communities
• Immigrants or newcomers

Solidarity

The party’s constitution states that the party believes in:
– 8.  Social Policies Which Promote Individual Responsibility: provincial social programs should ensure dignified and meaningful lives for those who need assistance, but also recognize the importance of providing the support and resources necessary for an environment in which New Brunswickers can work together, be self-reliant and take responsibility for their own lives.

With the Marginalized 

The party  states in its 2024-25 budget that it has allocated $1.66 billion ($1.663 million) for the Department of Social Development, an increase from $1.55 billion.   The allocations include:
– $1.075 billion for Seniors and Long Term Care, to improve personal and social functioning and support independent living through a range of community based services and develop initiatives around aging and aging care, and includes $275 million for disability support services.  This is an increase from $984 million spent in 2023-24, out of a budget for $1.004 billion.
– $182 million for Child Welfare and Youth Services, to improve personal and social functioning through the provision of Child Welfare services.  This is a decrease from $191.4 million spent in 2023-24.
– $347 million for Income Security, an increase from $307 million in 2023-24.  This allocation is intended to provide individuals and families in need with financial benefits and, where appropriate, with self-sufficiency program services to enhance their potential for employment, gender-based support services to enhance safety, and appropriate shelter and supports to foster a healthier quality of life.
– $47.2 million for other benefits, to provide financial assistance to support seniors and low-income families with children under 18 years and to low-income households to help offset or reduce energy costs. Assistance is provided through programs such as the Low Income Seniors’ Benefit, Child Tax Benefit and Working Income Supplement, and the Healthy Seniors’ Pilot Project. This is a decrease from $52.6 million spent in 2023-24.

Indigenous Peoples

In its 2024-25 budget the party has allocated $6.9 million to the Department of Indigenous Affairs, a reduction of 6% from $7.42 million, for oversight of whole-of-government approach to Indigenous relations, with responsibility for the coordination of all of the Province’s initiatives with First Nations, serving as the main point of contact and representing the interests of the Province in multilateral initiatives and negotiations. The department leads the consultation process with Indigenous peoples and provides research, analysis and policy advice to government on Indigenous matters.

 Rural Communities

In its 2024-25 budget, the party states that it has allocated $80.9 million (an increase from $50.8 million in 2023 to the NB Regional Development Corporation to provide funding for the development, diversification, and growth of the provincial economy, communities, and infrastructure.  The funds are provided under the Rural Economy Fund, the Total Development Fund, Community Development Fund, Preconstruction and Small Community Housing Infrastructure Funds, First Nations Development Fund and Community Investment Fund, and include.

Immigrants & Newcomers

In its 2024-25 budget, the party states that:
– over the last five years, New Brunswick’s population has grown significantly – more than the previous 37 years combined.  The budget invests $3.4 million to help newcomers navigate various immigration streams and provide support such as language training and settlement assistance through non-profit agencies.
– further support will be provided to reduce certification barriers for internationally trained workers in regulated professions as they transition to work in their fields of expertise in New Brunswick.
– to support economic immigration of skilled workers, it proposes to allocate $14.0 million (increase of 26% over the 2023-24 budget) for immigration, to support demographic and economic growth through advancing immigration, settlement and retention activities; administer provincial immigration pathways and support both candidates and employers in having access to the immigration programs most adapted to their situation; provide advice and support to departments on policy development, interdepartmental coordination and intergovernmental relations; to promote, implement and monitor foreign recruitment activities to attract and integrate immigrants. To provide financial support to the settlement sector and ethnocultural organisations to advance newcomer integration and retention.

Prior to its current term in office, the party further advocated, in order to promote provincial population growth:
– increasing the flow of Francophone newcomers – 33% by 2024.