Liberal Leader Brian Gallant addresses the Rotary Club of Sussex on Monday, where he outlined his stance on shale gas development.
Photo: Shane Magee/Kings County Record SUSSEX – "The leader of the provincial Liberals faced questions Monday in Sussex about this hydraulic fracturing stance and said he’s not convinced of the economic benefits the practice has had in this region. Scott Hatcher, the town chief administrative officer, questioned Brian Gallant about the existing natural gas wells that have been fracked by Corridor Resources in Penobsquis. Gallant dismissed the argument that fracking, as the process is also called, is significantly benefiting the region, saying he’s visited the site and visited the company’s office with its eight employees. “I’m not convinced on the economic benefits of it here,” he said"....
These were the headlines, and the leading paragraph’s on Feb. 25, 2014, from Opposition Leader Brian Gallant’s address to our Rotary Club the day before.
Rotarian Wendy Osborne introduced our guest speaker Mr. Brian Gallant, MLA Kent.
Mr. Gallant introduced himself. Born in Shediac Bridge, Mr. Gallant was raised by parents who earned a living in the grocery and fast food industries. His father, the youngest of seven children in a proud Acadian family, and his mother, one of 17 siblings born to Dutch immigrants, did everything they could to provide for their children. His family moved many times, looking for work. While they often lived on the financial edge, he credits his parents with teaching him the value of hard work and education and what’s possible when families and communities pull together through good times and bad. My parents gave me everything they had.
Mr. Gallant started and operated two small companies to put himself through university. After completing degrees in business administration and law from the Université de Moncton and a Masters from McGill, he began his career in corporate and commercial law at Stewart McKelvey. He later became a partner at the Veritas Law Firm in Dieppe.
The Opposition leader reiterated his position that there should be a moratorium on shale gas development, saying that Liberals are waiting on several significant studies to decide whether to move forward with development. He said the reviews from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and Environment Canada should shed more light on the safety of the practice.
“It hasn’t been something we’ve been doing across our country – or world – for very long".
Gallant said the province should hold off until the area has “a proper” royalty regime in place, wait for the report by the chief medical officer of health, Dr. Eilish Cleary, and more regulation.
“There’s a lot of things that would have to fall into place before we say yes.”
Gallant said he’s in favour of further potash exploration, other mining projects around the province, and laying out a forestry plan. Gallant dismissed the argument that fracking is significantly benefiting the Sussex Region, saying he’s visited the site and visited the company’s office with its eight employees.
“I’m not convinced of the economic benefits of it here,”
There is a need for diversity; let’s not place all our eggs in one basket. In the short term, we need to invest in education, training and literacy. Medium-term, help existing industries. Long-term, move to a knowledge-based economy.
Rotary Past President and Chamber of Commerce Director Lou McNamara thanked Mr. Gallant for his interesting discussion on the Liberal Association stance on Shale Gass Development in New Brunswick and his party’s ideas and vision for New Brunswick.