Throne speech focuses on self-sufficiency, with few surprises

New Brunswick's speech from the throne on Tuesday heavily promoted Premier Shawn Graham's self-sufficiency agenda but provided fewdetails in terms of policy and legislation.

The throne speech was delivered in the legislature in Fredericton Tuesday afternoon by Lt.-Gov. Herménégilde Chiasson on behalf of Graham and his Liberal government.

Many of the initiatives listed in the throne speech have already been announced and many of the reviews it refers to are already underway. However, new items highlighted in the speech include:

• There will be property tax relief for low-income homeowners hit by rising assessments.
• A feasibility study on building a second nuclear reactor at Point Lepreau will be released during this session.
• The government will move more of its operations to Service New Brunswick, the agency that offers one-stop, storefront access to government services such as drivers' licences.
• The government will consider whether to undo the restructuring of NB Power put in place by the previous Conservative government that broke the utility up into four companies.
• The government will regulate cheque-cashing companies by limiting the interest rates they can charge.
• There will be new standards for drinking water.

Focuses on self-sufficiency plan

The speech, however,refers repeatedly to the government's plan to make the province self-sufficient by 2026 by making New Brunswick a richer and more populous province in coming years.

The government wants to increase New Brunswick's population by 100,000 with the goal of reducing its dependency on federal equalization payments and becoming a have province.

The premier told a news conference about the throne speech that his self-sufficiency plan hinges on the development of the province as a North American energy hub.

That depends heavily on Irving Oil Ltd. in Saint John, which is considering construction of a second oil refinery in the city, in addition to the ongoing construction of a liquefied natural gas terminal.

The $2.5 million feasibility study on Point Lepreau is widely expected to endorse construction of a second Candu reactor at the site.

"The development of the energy hub is key to the success of the diversification of our economy and to our self-sufficiency agenda," Graham said.

No mention of controversial education changes

But the throne speech did not include details on one of the government's most controversial proposals.

The Liberals had promised to review the report by the Commission on Post-Secondary Education, which recommended merging the University of New Brunswick's Saint John campus with the local New Brunswick Community College to create a new institution called a polytechnic. The commission made similar recommendations for the two Université de Moncton campuses in Edmundston and Shippagan.

The report's recommendations spurred protests, so a working group was put together in the fallto consider the recommendations. A small group of university students also demonstrated outside the legislature Tuesday, protesting the recommendations.

However,the item was not included in the throne speech.

Graham said the working group needs more time to sort out the issue and its findings now aren't expected until into 2008.

"These are extremely important and complex issues and we're going to take the time necessary to get it right," Graham said.