Job creation is focus of Gallant government's throne speech

The provincial government’s top priority in this session will be creating jobs and turning around the economy, Lt. Gov. Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau said in Wednesday’s throne speech.

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The throne speech focused heavily on economic development and job creation, but it did not specifically mention the contentious topics of shale gas or hydraulic fracturing.

The speech painted a dreary picture of the province's economy.

“New Brunswickers might be disappointed by the state of our economy, they might be discouraged by woeful unemployment statistics and they might be frustrated by the difficulties they face in building a life for themselves and their families within our province,” the throne speech said.

“In the months and years ahead, your government will work tirelessly to move New Brunswick forward.”

The throne speech, which summed up the majority of the Liberal party’s campaign commitments, highlighted the New Brunswick Jobs Board, which will give oversight in job creation, and Opportunities New Brunswick, which will be established to create jobs.

Opportunities New Brunswick will be a new Crown corporation and its job creation approach will be different from its predecessors, such as Invest NB, by “adopting a client-focused approach, by actively seeking to eliminate silos, and by being nimble, accountable and data-driven.”

The former Progressive Conservative government of David Alward created Invest NB after the 2010 election campaign.

The speech also criticizes former governments for politicizing job creation initiatives in the past.

The throne speech broadly sets out the provincial government's agenda for the upcoming session. This is the first time the legislature has sat since the Sept. 22 election that saw Gallant's Liberals form a majority government.

Specific details about new policies will be released in bills before the legislature rises later in December. There will also be a capital budget in December.

Silence on shale gas 

The throne speech also highlighted energy as crucial sector in helping turn around the province's sluggish economy.

“The global and North American energy landscapes are rapidly shifting. Your government is not satisfied by simply putting all our eggs in a single basket,” Roy-Vienneau said in the throne speech.

“A more diverse crop of energy and natural resource opportunities must be diligently pursued. This is why your government supports the responsible development of our energy and natural resource opportunities.”

The Liberals had criticized the Alward government during the election campaign as being too focused on developing the shale gas industry.

The throne speech doesn’t mention shale gas or hydro-fracking, but Gallant has promised to introduce a bill that would establish his government’s moratorium on shale gas exploration before the legislature breaks in December.

But Gallant left no doubt after the speech that the Liberals will be introducing a bill to establish the moratorium before Christmas

"I think it's pretty clear that this throne speech is very much geared towards our platform," he said. "We're going to be a government that fulfills its promises and that includes having a moratorium on hydraulic fracturing."

Opposition Leader Bruce Fitch said the Liberals are contradicting themselves by stating their focus is on jobs while pressing ahead with the shale gas moratorium.

"One of the biggest contradictions is when they stress `We're all for jobs and the economy,' yet they are saying no to potentially the biggest opportunity New Brunswick has had in a generation," said Fitch.

The throne speech outlines the Gallant government’s support for other energy projects, such as TransCanada Corp.’s Energy East pipeline, an oil export terminal in Saint John, and the proposed Sisson tungsten mine project.

Gallant has already met with the premiers of Alberta, Ontario and Quebec to show his support for the Energy East pipeline project.

"They were very, very light on a lot of the details," said Fitch.

"They put it in a new wrapper, put it in a new ribbon," he said. "But a lot of the things they are moving forward with for job creation are ones that we were working on."

The Liberals are also pledging to follow through with campaign commitments to review the Alward government’s Crown forestry policy and the provincial drug plan.

The Department of Health will review the requirement for uninsured New Brunswickers to pay premiums for the coverage starting in April.

"Small businesses and average New Brunswickers will suddenly face hefty premiums in exchange for coverage. Your government will explore other, more equitable ways of delivering this service,” the throne speech said.

The Department of Natural Resources will also be releasing documents that guided the development of the Crown forest strategy.

The provincial government is promising to review the plan “to ensure that it is as sustainable and as fair as possible given the constraints that have been inherited by [the Liberal] government,” Roy-Vienneau said in the throne speech.

Green Party Leader David Coon found the throne speech lacking in many areas, including health care, environmental sustainability, addressing climate change and improving relations with First Nations in New Brunswick.

"It feels a little bit like there were sections that just didn't quite make it into the speech," said Coon.

"it needed to be a little more fulsome. We really shouldn't have to read between the lines on what the plans are for in the area of social development, health care, transparency, justice, reconciliation with First Nations and environmental sustainability."