Bruce Northrup introduced Blaine Higgs, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick and Opposition Leader in the Legislative Assembly to a joint meeting of the Sussex & District Chamber of Commerce and our Club on 6, 2017.
Mr. Higgs elected to the Legislative Assembly in 2010, representing the riding of Quispamsis. He held several ministerial appointments under the PC Government at that time, including the Minister of Finance.
Before entering politics, Mr. Higgs worked as a mechanical engineer for Irving Oil in Saint John until retiring in 2010.
Pictured here (L-R) are Rotary President Rob Driscoll, Sussex & District Chamber of Commerce President Ivan Graham, Bruce Northrup, MLA, Sussex-Fundy-St. Martins, and Blaine Higgs, leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick and Opposition Leader in the Legislative Assembly...
Mr. Higgs spoke about his platform when running for the leadership of the PC party. His goal is to build upon what other governments have done instead of criticizing and tearing down the work they have done. Some told him that he would not win with this ideal; however, he did win the election and became head of the PC Party. He discussed how the Government tends to throw out plans of the previous party when a new party comes to power; however, he finds this counterproductive.
He discussed matters of electrical outages during major storms, the education system, and health care. He believes in going to the workers and getting them to come up with solutions to issues about becoming more productive rather than quickly going to outside contractors to come up with cost-cutting measures. Mr. Higgs pointed out that government promises made at the time of an election often are not paid for until another government has come into power. Mr. Higgs and his wife are presently learning French in preparation to serve the whole Province of New Brunswick.
Rotary President Rob Driscoll thanked Mr. Higgs.