Brian Gallant Delivers State of the Province Address Focused on Strategic Investments
FREDERICTON–Thursday evening, in his second State of the Province address, Premier Brian Gallant focused on investing in education and training and developing energy and natural resources projects in the province as means of improving the economy.
Gallant voiced support for the Energy East pipeline and stated that the province must develop its natural resources and energy projects responsibly.
“It’s not only good for the Canadian economy, it’s good for the New Brunswick economy, the West economy and everybody in between,” he said. “We have to work together to ensure we do it right, we do it safely, but we get the jobs, we ensure that we diversify our exports and get the Energy East pipeline to Saint John, New Brunswick.”
Gallant aligned his support of investing in infrastructure with that of the prime minister’s.
“I couldn’t support more what he wants to do in terms of infrastructure,” Gallant said. “We need the federal government, we need the private sector and we as well as a government have to step up and invest strategically in our infrastructure to create jobs and ensure economic prosperity in the long term.”
Ahead of next week’s release of the 2016-17 provincial budget, Gallant touched on financial issues at hand, stating that the Liberal government inherited some challenges and that the province must get their finances in order.
“Our financial situation that we’ve inherited is hindering our ability to invest in our priorities of creating jobs, growing the economy, making sure we have the best education system and that we have strong, proactive health care,” Gallant said. “We’re going to tackle these challenges together.”
The budget changes are expected to be balanced between cuts and tax increases, most likely in the form of an HST hike, increased corporate income tax, the implementation of highway tolls and civil service cuts. Gallant stated that the government will not slash into health care and education funding.
“We have to have a balanced approach between economic growth and looking at government expenditures so we can reduce them and looking at additional sources of revenue so we can provide strong programs for job creation, education and health care,” Gallant said.
After the last couple weeks of economic setbacks, including the PotashCorp mine closure and continuing controversy surrounding the Energy East pipeline, Gallant stated that there will be “ups and downs” but that the province is one of only three to have a net gain of jobs in the last month.
Gallant also took the opportunity to announce the province’s Education and New Economy Fund, stating that it will help ensure that New Brunswick becomes the “smart province” by investing strategically in education, training, innovation and research and development.
“We have some crucial choices that are going to be announced in a few days,” Gallant concluded. “In a few days when you see our budget, you’re going to see that we made our choices not based on fears but based on our collective hopes.”