Ask away: Unlike some premiers, Blaine Higgs presents himself often to reporters

New Brunswick Premier Blaine Higgs faced criticism in the legislature Wednesday for his surprise disclosure to reporters a day earlier that his government had quietly lifted restrictions on natural gas fracking in the Sussex area during a cabinet meeting a month ago.

"The premier told the press here at the legislature," said Kent South Liberal MLA Benoit Bourque about the revelation  

"They did not see fit to inform New Brunswickers previously."

Higgs did appear to scoop himself by unveiling the major policy move to reporters a month before it was apparently intended to be announced, but in question period Higgs shrugged off the messy reveal as a small issue

"Sometimes timelines shift and change, but this is no surprise. This is what we intended to do and this is what we've done."

Unscripted and unpredictable encounters 

Seven months into his term as premier, Higgs remains an unconventional politician. He still does a lot of his own public relations and unlike many of his predecessors and peers, wanders frequently into unscripted encounters with reporters — and is willing to accept the unpredictable results. 

Nicolle Carlin, the government's director of communications, said that's the way Higgs wants it.

"We've made a conscious effort to be more available to the media," said Carlin. "It's very much who this premier is."

Last week the legislature sat four days and on three of those Higgs emerged from the assembly after question period to speak with reporters directly about issues of the day.

Previous New Brunswick premiers generally limited interactions with reporters at the legislature to occasions of major announcements or for other special reasons, but Higgs appears in person frequently — offering unique access not routinely granted elsewhere.  

In Ontario, new Progressive Conservative Premier Doug Ford has gone the other way, developing methods to circumvent the media, with limited questioning at tightly controlled press events and self-coverage on social media. 

Press releases decline

But under Higgs, even self-promotional government press releases — a long-favoured avenue for all New Brunswick governing parties to trumpet real and imagined political successes — have been in decline this year.

Last year the Gallant government issued 431 press releases during the first five months of 2018, mixing partisan and non-partisan messages and in 2010, the former government of Shawn Graham set a record by issuing 594 press releases between Jan. 1 and May 31.   

But during the first five months of this year, the province issued just 280.  And although there was some political content in those, it's the lightest use of the government newswires in any January to May period by any of the previous three New Brunswick governments.

St. Thomas University political scientist Jamie Gillies said Higgs isn't necessarily depoliticizing government messaging by restricting press releases. It may be just that a policy of spending control does not lend itself to making a lot of announcements.

"Higgs' minority government has had fewer spending announcements and more project cancellations, so trumpeting bad news is not in their interest," said Gillies in an email about the decline in government press releases this year.

"The focus on fiscal responsibility might be the reason we see fewer announcements. They simply do not have a lot to champion so far except getting the books in order."

But Carlin offered a different view, claiming fewer crafted news releases and more direct unscripted appearances by Higgs are two key pillars of the government's communications strategy.

"Is it intentional? Yes. There is a different philosophy here," Carlin said. "There's lots of different ways to reach people about what's important. That can be a release, that can be a Facebook post and it can be more frequent conversations with the media. That's probably one of the most beneficial — making yourself available."