27 JANUARY 2016

Fredericton – On Thursday, January 28th, Premier Brian Gallant will give his State of the Province Address. David Coon, MLA for Fredericton South and Leader of the Green Party of New Brunswick urges him to reflect on the state of our province’s society and environment, not just its books.

“Over the past 16 months, the government has focused on balancing the province’s books to the exclusion of almost all else. Prudent management of our books is important, but government is tackling the deficit without much attention to what kind of New Brunswick we want.

Where are we going? Are we aiming to eradicate poverty and achieve equality or will the choices made in the budget make things worse? Are we seeking reconciliation with the First Nations? Is a rural renaissance a goal? What about our cities? Do we want good health for our population in both body and mind? Are we building a low carbon society? Do we want to maintain and restore our rivers, our forests and our coastal waters? Are we seeking a vibrant arts community and cultural resilience for our diverse peoples?

During last year’s consultation on cutting the deficit, New Brunswickers talked a lot about what kind of province they want. Some of this was captured in the report of the consultations, ‘What Was Said’. I hope the Premier’s State of the Province address reflects what was said.

Our well-being and the quality of life in our communities are critical measures of the state of our province. We need to hear the Premier’s views on them,” said Coon.