Kevin Vickers announces vision for Liberals at Miramichi rally

Kevin Vickers announced his vision for the province Saturday, which includes growing the economy, fiscal responsibility, revamping education, improving health care and protecting the environment.

The leader of the provincial Liberals led a party rally on Saturday afternoon in Miramichi.

At the rally, Vickers recognized that climate change is one of the greatest dangers and threats, but he said there's no need for New Brunswick to be paying more carbon tax than Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island.

Still, he said the province must find a way to reduce carbon emissions. 

"We need to think, act and live green."

He also said it's time to "put the care back in health care."

"The sad situation with our nursing home workers could have been avoided if their concerns had been taken seriously much earlier in a spirit of collaboration and goodwill," said Vickers, regarding the ongoing tension between nursing home workers and the province.

Vickers said he's ready for the responsibilities that come with being party leader and promised to "work tirelessly" for the people in the province.

When Vickers said he would lead the Liberal Party to victory in the next election, he was met with applause and supporters chanted his first name. 

Decision to lead

Vickers said many people have asked him why he wanted to become leader of the Liberal Party.

"My Acadian friends were worried as to what's happening in New Brunswick and ... they wanted me to run for the Liberal Party," he said.

"I thought how great this party can be French, English, promoting the co-operative movement, working co-operatively, valuing one another, respecting one another.... There was no question in my mind that I was leaving Ireland and coming home."

Vickers, 62, is a former sergeant-at-arms in the House of Commons and Canada's former ambassador to Ireland.

He became the Liberal Party leader on April 24, replacing former leader Brian Gallant, who resigned when his government lost its majority in the legislature in the the provincial election.

Vickers became the only candidate for leadership after Moncton's René Ephestion dropped out of the race. 

Ephestion, the executive director of Moncton's Nazareth House, attended the rally because he wanted to learn about Vicker's vision.

"For me it's really important to have a leader who understands that New Brunswickers, the population, is more important than their seats, than their money and their political career," Ephestion said.

Ephestion said he hopes Vickers meets his high expectations.