PC MLA says Tory 'rebels' can support all government bills this fall
Ross Wetmore says legislation will pass so an early election isn’t needed
Another Progressive Conservative MLA who defied Premier Blaine Higgs on a key vote in the spring says he'll vote with the government this fall, and that makes an early election unnecessary.
Ross Wetmore, who represents Gagetown-Petitcodiac, says he has seen a list of about 20 pieces of legislation that will be introduced in the fall and there's nothing on the list he would vote against.
That list includes bills from the departments of post-secondary education and labour, social development, transportation and infrastructure, and agriculture, aquaculture and fisheries — all departments that six "rebel" Tory MLAs once oversaw as cabinet ministers.
"What we're bringing forward in legislation is what the six of us have worked on over a number of years, and I don't foresee any problem with the legislation going through," Wetmore said in an interview.
"Certainly I have no reason to slow down any of these bills."
The six MLAs voted with the Liberal opposition in June to pass a motion calling on the child and youth advocate to hold further consultations on the government's changes to Policy 713, which supports inclusion of LGBTQ students in provincial schools.
Higgs has hinted he may call an election ahead of the scheduled October 2024 date because the uprising by the six pose a risk to his ability to pass legislation this fall.
"The question we face is will the focus be on delivering results for New Brunswickers, or will it be 12 months of political drama causing instability and stagnation in government?" the premier said in a statement this week.
"My focus and responsibility is to the citizens of this province ensuring we continue on our path of demonstrated continuous improvement."
But Wetmore says the premier doesn't need to worry about passage of the bills or the capital budget in December.
"I don't believe there's a need for an election," he said.
"I can say in confidence that the six backbenchers support the legislation that's being brought forward. We may ask some questions, but that's our job."
Higgs's office did not immediate provide a comment on what Wetmore had to say.
Wetmore's commitment goes farther than what another of the six PC MLAs, Daniel Allain, said this week.
Allain said he would support the government on confidence votes such as the budget, but that other routine legislation not treated as confidence matters should be subject to a caucus discussion.
Wetmore and PC MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason also bucked Higgs in June on Bill 46, legislation that would reduce the decision-making powers of anglophone school boards.
The two MLAs voted with the Liberals in a failed attempt to send the bill to public hearings.
The government eventually put the legislation on hold, and Wetmore said there's no indication it will return.
"If it's going to come back, it hasn't been discussed," he said, pointing out that education officials suggested at a recent committee meeting it would not return.
Wetmore had already decided not to run again in the next election before the Policy 713 controversy split the PC caucus in the spring.
He wouldn't say if Higgs alone would be responsible for an early election if it happens.
"That's a hypothetical question. Why don't you ask me if the election's been called?" he said.
Like the other rebel MLAs, Wetmore says he hasn't "officially" spoken to the premier since June.
"I'm going to say nobody has reached out to me to have a discussion," he said.
"Look, my wife and I don't agree all the time, for heaven's sake, but at the end of the day I believe that as a caucus we can listen to each others' opinions and make informed decisions and move forward from there."
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