If you follow New Brunswick politics, you notice a new phrase coming from Premier Susan Holt and her Liberal team. They now call the Progressive Conservative opposition the Higgs Allain government. This new label reminds voters that new PC Leader Daniel Allain served as local government minister under former premier Blaine Higgs from 2020 to 2023.

Justice Minister Rob McKee and Housing Minister David Hickey both used the phrase this week. Hickey used the label to criticize the PC refusal to cap rents during their time in office. Allain fueled this attack when he refused to commit to keeping the 2024 Liberal rent cap.

The Policy 713 Feud

The Liberal narrative ignores a major historical event. Higgs and Allain had a massive public falling out in June 2023 over Policy 713. This policy deals with gender identity and sexual orientation in provincial schools. Allain and five other MLAs voted with the Liberal opposition to demand further study of the policy changes. Two weeks later, Higgs removed Allain from his cabinet.

The PC Divide

This 2023 vote still haunts Allain. A group of PC members repeatedly attacked him during the leadership race. They called his vote a betrayal and blamed it for their 2024 election defeat. Some members even work to create a new right wing party because they oppose Allain taking the leadership role. Higgs himself stated in March that Allain and the other dissenting MLAs used the Policy 713 controversy to try and remove him as leader.

The Liberal Justification

The Liberals dismiss this feud entirely. Liberal backbencher Kate Wilcott told reporters that Allain voted with Higgs hundreds of times and only voted against him once. She noted that many cabinet ministers who stood by Higgs in 2023 now serve as prominent members of the Allain caucus.

You find the full details of this political strategy in the original CBC News report.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why do the Liberals call it the Higgs Allain government?

The Liberals link new PC Leader Daniel Allain to former premier Blaine Higgs. They use this label to remind voters that Allain served in the Higgs cabinet and supported most of his policies.

Did Daniel Allain and Blaine Higgs get along?

They had a major public dispute in 2023 over Policy 713. Allain voted with the opposition to study the policy further. Higgs removed Allain from cabinet shortly after this vote.

How do PC party members feel about Daniel Allain?

The party remains divided. Some members support his new leadership role. Others view his 2023 vote against Higgs as a betrayal and attempt to form a new political party.