Greens announce school meals, PCs again tout addictions plan, Liberals release full platform
Sam Farley | CBC News | Posted: October 4, 2024 9:00 AM | Last Updated: October 4
Election day set for Oct. 21
Green Leader David Coon announced a universal school breakfast and lunch program, while Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs spoke about his plan for addictions treatment. Liberal Leader Susan Holt released her full election platform, including costing.
Greens promise universal school meal program
At an announcement in Fredericton, Green Party Leader David Coon said he would create a universal school breakfast and lunch program, which would aim to incorporate locally produced food, when possible.
A quarter of New Brunswick children are food insecure, Coon said.
Statistics from last year show the rate is 22.8 per cent, the second highest among Canadian provinces for moderate food insecurity, according to Proof, a research team that investigates and publishes annual reports on the issue.
The PC government spent $2 million making fresh food available to 45,000 students in 135 schools last year, which Coon said was "woefully inadequate."
"All too often I have heard stories from teachers who spent their own money to ensure students in their classes don't go hungry," Coon said.
WATCH | Coon breaks down funding to feed students:
"While this is commendable, we need a proper, provincewide school breakfast and lunch program in place to ensure that teachers can focus on what they do best, teaching, and students can focus on learning."
The Liberals have promised to spend $27.4 million annually for their own free school breakfast and lunch program.
Coon said the program would cost about $50 million a year. He said about $4 million would come from federal funding, and he would end the annual $20 million in provincial subsidies to the forestry industry for herbicide spraying and tree planting, to free up money for school meals.
Higgs reiterates promises on addictions treatment
For a second day in a row, PC Leader Blaine Higgs said his focus for addictions is on treatment and recovery, not "enabling the continuation of harmful behaviour," a reference to safe-injection sites.
New Brunswick only has one safe-injection site. It does not give users free drugs, but instead offers to test drugs to ensure they're not toxic.
Higgs said there is "no such thing as safe heroin" and criticized the Liberal party for "expanding" safe-injection sites. Liberal Leader Susan Holt refused to say if she would allow more in the province when asked at the CBC leaders' debate.
On Wednesday, Higgs said he would challenge the existing safe-injection site and on Thursday clarified that to say it would be "under review."
Higgs laid out a three-point plan, most of which he had already announced the day before. It includes re-introducing a bill to create the Compassionate Intervention act, building a new 50-bed treatment facility and building an addiction treatment unit at the new Minto jail.
WATCH | Higgs's 3 key initiatives to address mental health and addictions:
He also promised funding for an opioid dependency program. All of these promises would cost $28 million over four years, Higgs said.
"Mental health and addiction services are a worthwhile investment that improves the quality of life for those who receive them but it also helps to improve public safety," Higgs said.
When asked by a reporter if the treatment facility at the Minto jail would be for those receiving involuntary treatment under the Compassionate Intervention act, legislation Higgs has said he plans to introduce, he didn't directly answer yes or no to the question, but appeared to say it would be used for people already in jail or already sentenced to jail time.
It would be the first step in a recovery path that could continue after people are released, he said.
"This could be part of a program that the judge may say, okay, if they go into recovery for six months or whatever time frame that can be helpful, and there may be an assessment after that," Higgs said.
"So it is a process, but we want to integrate it with the legal system and with the citizens in the communities to ensure they feel safer."
Liberals release full platform
New Brunswick Liberals have released a full campaign platform that contains no specific plan for how to address one of their biggest political liabilities: the federal carbon tax.
WATCH | Holt says her promises will cost less than Higgs's:
Leader Susan Holt said she'll work to persuade the federal government to let her adopt an alternative to the federal price, which this year is adding 17.6 cents to the price of a litre of gasoline.
Higgs told reporters he will release the full PC platform in about two weeks, and Green Leader David Coon told CBC News he will release his next Wednesday.
The election is Oct. 21.
Standings at dissolution: PCs 25, Liberals 16, Greens 3, Independent 1, vacant 4
Where the leaders are today
Green Leader David Coon is in Rogersville for an announcement about small businesses.
Liberal Leader Susan Holt is in Woodstock for a health-care announcement.
Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs does not have any events scheduled on Friday.
For complete coverage: Links to ll New Brunswick Votes 2024 stories