A minority Liberal government would partner with another party — but not any party
CBC News | Posted: September 21, 2018 12:37 AM | Last Updated: September 21, 2018
Liberal Leader Brian Gallant discussed possibilities during televised leaders’ roundtable
Liberal Leader Brian Gallant would be open to working with other parties if the Liberals cannot form a majority government.
Just not the Progressive Conservatives or People's Alliance.
Gallant made the comment during the CTV televised leaders' roundtable on Thursday evening in Fredericton.
Four days from Monday's election, the outcome is anything but clear — and the CBC New Brunswick poll tracker suggests the possibility of a minority government has increased slightly as the campaign has progressed.
New Brunswick Poll Tracker | Get the latest projections here
For complete coverage | Links to all New Brunswick Votes 2018 stories
Green Party Leader David Coon was initially asked if he would work with the Liberals or Tories if the Greens emerged holding the balance of power — a position the Green Party of British Columbia found itself in last year.
Following the election, the B.C. Greens took their three seats and sided with the NDP in order to have a one-seat advantage over the Liberals.
It's been almost 100 years since two or more parties could shift the balance of power in the New Brunswick legislative assembly.
Coon said it would be premature to answer the minority government scenario. If it comes to that point, Coon said he would discuss it with his caucus.
Gallant was more direct in his answer, specifying whether he would partner with another party and which parties he might consider. He said the Liberals would work with parties that shared their values.
The Liberal leader noted that he's still confident the party can again form a majority.
Higgs didn't answer the question, instead choosing to criticize Gallant for being unwilling to work with some of the other parties.
The NDP and the People's Alliance were not invited to participate in the 90-minute roundtable.
The idea of a minority government has picked up steam in the final days of the campaign, with most political watchers expecting a close race.
The New Brunswick poll tracker still has the Liberals with an 82.1 per cent probability of winning a majority, but the party's lead in the aggregated polling has dropped in mid-September with the People's Alliance making gains. In addition, the Liberals have a historically inefficient vote.
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