Election Day 13: Greens roll out economy plan, with focus on local

Green Leader David Coon says his party would would create a small business loan program that would shift the focus to local economies.

"We're talking about localization as a counterpoint to globalization," Coon said during the announcement in Saint John. "If we strengthen that, we will strengthen our economy."

With the loan program, modelled after one already in use in Nova Scotia, the province would use credit unions to support startup and local enterprises, Coon said. The Nova Scotia program has created 11,883 jobs and generates $95 million in tax revenue a year.

"The days of using public money to enrich already wealthy corporations will be over," he said, referring to the millions of dollars the Liberal government of Brian Gallant provided TD Bank, by forgivable loan, for a call centre in Moncton.

Coon said the Green economic development strategy would replace 10 per cent of imports with local goods and services and consolidate all economic development agencies into the Department of Community and Rural Development.

"When [New Brunswick] businesses became owned by companies outside of New Brunswick they easily left and they did leave," Coon said.

"With small businesses and medium-sized businesses that are home grown ... they're not going anywhere. Sure, some will perhaps fail. Many will succeed."

More teachers

At 1:30 p.m. in Saint John, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie promised a moratorium on rural school closures and said she would add 100 more education professionals in schools if elected.

"Until you consult with the community as to the best way to serve that community, it's important to keep the school open," she said.

She promised to adjust classroom size depending on students' needs and hire more psychologists and occupational therapists.

McKenzie said students need more mental health professionals to teach them coping mechanisms and self-assessment tools, so that outside-school stresses don't get in the way of their growth and education.

'Free tuition'

Gallant also made a Tuesday morning announcement in Saint John, promising to expand the free tuition program to more families. 

The program was created in 2016 to cover tuition fees for students from household with incomes under $60,000. Gallant said that maximum would be increased to $70,000.

A sliding-scale model of tuition relief, which allowed students from households making more than $60,000 to get up to 95 per cent of their tuition covered, will be adjusted as well.

To find the $25 million to pay for the free tuition program, Gallant cancelled two other student debt programs worth more than $50 million, including tuition rebates for recent graduates and tuition tax deductions for students and their families.

Gallant said that last year 6,319 student used the from free tuition program, and 1,425 students used the sliding-scale Tuition Relief for the Middle Class program.

On the trail

Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs spent his day preparing for the debate being hosted by CBC New Brunswick on Sept. 12.

McKenzie will continue to canvass in the riding of Saint John Harbour before taking part in a Facebook Live to talk about the NDP education platform at 8 p.m. on Jennifer McKenzie Leader's page.

At 6:30 p.m. Coon will take part in a local candidates town hall hosted by the Capital Region Medical Society at the Kingswood Lodge.

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin is canvassing for votes in Ripples.