Jake Stewart jumps into crowded race for PC leadership

Progressive Conservative MLA Jake Stewart became the sixth candidate for the party leadership Thursday, launching his bid with a speech that struck directly at a couple of political sacred cows.

Stewart told a crowd of more than 150 supporters that he would change the Official Languages Act to eliminate the role of the commissioner for official languages.

And he said he would also do away with job-creation subsidies for businesses, such as grants, loans, and payroll rebates.

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He said his proposals reflect the views of New Brunswickers and he was tired of seeing both the Liberals and PCs protecting a status quo that is not working.

"My job here is not to go around New Brunswick and celebrate the Progressive Conservative Party's decisions for the last 80 years or defend the ones that have not been good decisions," Stewart told reporters in Blackville, his hometown.

"I am different from other leaders. I am going to stand on my principles. I have distinguished myself from all of them today and I'm very proud of that."

Stewart's crowd was smaller than those of some of the other candidates, but large given that he launched the campaign in Blackville, a village 90 minutes north of Fredericton.

He had no sitting PC MLAs endorse him, though several showed up as a courtesy.

Former MLA's support

Former PC MLA Jim Parrott also attended and endorsed Stewart. "When I was in the legislature and I saw this young guy, I said `He's going to go a long ways.' I've been pushing him to do this. By God, he'd make a hell of a premier."

Stewart, a second-term MLA representing Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin, also had none of the campaign signs or pamphlets other candidates have had, and admitted he may not be a front-runner.

"Underdog or not, I'm going to be competitive," he said. "I'm going to talk about the big issues and I'm going to take the discussion to where the public wants it to go."

Would eliminate language commissioner

In his speech, Stewart said he was a supporter of official bilingualism as it existed "back then," when it was implemented in the late '60s and early '70s.

But he said the role of the language commissioner, created when the Official Languages Act was updated in 2002, is now seen by many New Brunswickers as "divisive, unfair and wasteful, breeding ill will and stereotyping."

He criticized what he called "language police" who he said have struck fear into public servants by "sneaking up on them from just around the corner" with language audits.

And he attacked the investigation of commissionaire services by current commissioner Katherine d'Entremont, which has prompted the province to demote or lay off at least three unilingual commissionaires.

New Brunswickers "have witnessed the growing aggressiveness of this office and its commissioner for long enough," Stewart said, vowing to "quickly" eliminate it as premier.

Later, Stewart told reporters he believes front-line provincial employees who deal with the public should be bilingual but the requirement isn't needed "above that, in upper management, senior management."

'Unnecessary duplication'

He also vowed to eliminate "unnecessary duplication" but would not commit to merging the two regional health authorities into one. He said he supports the existence of English and French school systems.

He said he doesn't like the existence of dual busing for the two school systems, but said if the New Brunswick Court of Appeal rules it's constitutionally required, "we have to live with it. That's how it works."

Stewart also slammed the decades-long practice of Liberal and PC governments giving generous subsidies to large corporations that relocate to New Brunswick. He said it amounted to bribery.

'"It's not working, folks," he said. "That's never going to work. And I wouldn't put up with that. If I'm premier, that's something I will do away with." Stewart said instead, he'd spur job creation by eliminating the provincial income tax for small and medium-sized businesses.

PC MLA Bill Oliver, who attended Stewart's launch despite supporting another candidate, Blaine Higgs, said Stewart "said a lot of the things that people are hearing out there."

He agreed with Stewart that the school system should produce more bilingual graduates, but would not support his other comments on language policy.

And he said while PC party members would probably like the idea of eliminating subsidies "in some respects," he also said other provinces would keep offering them to companies even if New Brunswick were to stop.

Crowded field

Stewart joins Higgs, PC MLA Brian Macdonald, former MP Mike Allen, former Saint John Mayor Mel Norton, and Moncton lawyer Monica Barley in the leadership race. Party members vote on Oct. 22.

Stewart told reporters he waited to decide on running to see if any of the other candidates would raise the issues he considers important. "I just didn't hear where they were going to get into the real tough decisions for New Brunswick," he said.

Other stories about the Progressive Conservative leadership race:

• Ex-MP Mike Allen joins Progressive Conservative leadership race
• Brian Macdonald launches Progressive Conservative leadership bid 
• Blaine Higgs enters race for PC leadership
• Mel Norton adds name to list of PC leadership candidates 
• Monica Barley launches Progressive Conservative leadership bid
• Progressive Conservative leadership race may see 6th candidate