The River Valley Sun sent out questionnaires to each candidate in the three ridings in our coverage area. Here are the responses from candidates in the riding of Carleton-Victoria, in alphabetical order:
Green candidate Rebecca Blaevoet
RVS: Why are you running?
RB: I am running because the people of Carleton North need someone who stands for the values of the Green Party on the ballot: participatory democracy, local self-reliance, and supportive communities. Residents should not have to vote second-choice when they can choose Green.
RVS: Healthcare is in crisis. What is the first step to repairing the system?
RB: The first step is treating healthcare like a public right and committing to what’s being called a “generational investment” to fix it. It needs to be community-based, publicly funded and multi-disciplinary. Salaries and bonuses have to reflect the importance of this. Among other specific commitments, David Coon and a Green government would invest $120,000,000 annually to establish 70 team-based family practices in under-served communities.
RVS: Education has been in the headlines for the last two years. The system faces multiple challenges – lack of teachers, support staff, bus drivers, French immersion teachers, which, with the Policy 713 controversy, has resulted in low morale. What steps do you take to start repairing the system?
RB: The first step is to listen to the various key stakeholders and come prepared to spend provincial money fixing some of these gaps. We should not have government surpluses with education and healthcare in such a deplorable state, with such low morale. Every child in New Brunswick, from Campbellton to Campobello Island, deserves the same access to education, with the same services. Specifically, we would collaborate with unions to implement a retention and recruitment strategy not only for teachers, but school staff in general, educational assistants, school bus drivers, custodians, and others.
RVS: We’ve come through worldwide inflation, NBers are struggling to meet everyday costs. We are facing a housing crisis, cost of living increases, and lack of a rent cap, and all of these things have contributed to homelessness. In an era where we’ve faced multiple crises, how can the next government address these while remaining fiscally responsible?
RB: Communities are at the heart of making Nbers feel safe and supported. The Greens are about local self-reliance, supporting small business, sustainable transport, a healthy environment and boosting local economies. We must approach our cities and rural communities differently, seeing them as communities where people live, not functions of big industry or get-rich schemes for big developers. We know that the systems behind inflation, homelessness, soaring housing costs and so much more are broken, too big, and not based in our communities. We must incentivize local business, establish a rent cap and empower municipalities to make sustainable choices.
RVS: What issue do you think is not being talked about enough?
RB: For me, food insecurity has disappeared from the political discourse during this election. It has been top of mind, and with prices as high as they are and farmland disappearing under new housing and business development, it needs to be factored into any planning for the next government.
Progressive Conservative candidate Margaret Johnson
Margaret Johnson did not complete the River Valley Sun questionnaire. PC campaign official Robert Fowlie responded to our request, stating that Johnson was too busy campaigning to answer our questions. We offered to give her four more days to complete the questionnaire but were told by Mr. Fowlie that she still would not be submitting a response. She was asked the same questions as all other candidates, except on the affordability question. The River Valley Sun asked PC candidates how their government could justify having a surplus and not spending it when people were suffering.
Liberal candidate Julian Moulton
RVS: Why are you running?
JM: I’m running because our healthcare system is in crisis, and our communities are struggling. Whenever a Progressive Conservative government is in power, it feels like our hospitals are in jeopardy of closing. Specifically, the Perth hospital has been reduced from 24-hour service to open only from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. A 24-hour ER can mean life or death for people in this area, and the current PC MLA does not fight for us or our hospitals. We need someone to speak up for our riding of Carleton-Victoria.
As a father of three, I want to create a future where our children inherit a better, more inclusive province. We need leadership that works for all and focuses on repairing healthcare, education, and the relationships between Indigenous and non-Indigenous people.
RVS: Healthcare is in crisis. What is the first step to repairing the system?
JM: The first step to fixing healthcare is to recruit and retain more doctors and healthcare professionals, offering competitive incentives to attract talent. In addition, we need to open more community healthcare centers, particularly in rural and First Nations areas, to relieve pressure on emergency rooms and provide easier access to care. By improving access and focusing on retention, we can address the gaps in our system and ensure better health outcomes for everyone.
RVS: Education has been in the headlines for the last two years. The system faces multiple challenges—lack of teachers, support staff, bus drivers, French immersion teachers, and Policy 713 controversy, leading to low morale. What steps do you take to start repairing the system?
JM: We need to stabilize the education system by recruiting more teachers, support staff, and bus drivers with better compensation and working conditions. This will ensure that our education professionals can focus on what matters most — helping students succeed.
We’ll also address the shortage of French immersion teachers by expanding training programs and recruiting talent from across Canada. We’re committed to developing a fresh, 10-year plan that includes input from educators, parents, and experts to improve literacy, numeracy, and learning support. And on Policy 713, we will engage in respectful dialogue to ensure it protects all students, especially LGBTQ2+ youth.
RVS: We’ve come through worldwide inflation, NBers are struggling to meet everyday costs. We are facing a housing crisis, cost of living increases, lack of a rent cap, and all of these things have contributed to homelessness. In an era of multiple crises, how can a government address these while remaining fiscally responsible?
JM: A Liberal government will address these challenges by focusing on affordability and responsible spending. We’ll introduce a three per cent rent cap to protect tenants and help combat the housing crisis while increasing social assistance for those who need it most. A 10 per cent tax cut on utilities and mortgages, paired with eliminating the Higgs’ gas tax, will help ease the financial burden on families. We can do all this by cutting unnecessary bureaucracy and working with the private sector to build more affordable housing, ensuring fiscal responsibility while addressing New Brunswickers’ immediate needs.
RVS: What issue do you think is not being talked about enough?
JM: The relationship between the province and Indigenous communities needs more attention. We must make changes to how police respond to wellness checks by pairing law enforcement with community elders and mental health workers. This would bring culturally sensitive support and professional care to those in need, ensuring peaceful conflict resolution and effective follow-up services.
Additionally, systemic racism in New Brunswick isn’t being adequately addressed. We need a First Nations-led commission to tackle this issue, with Indigenous voices driving the changes necessary for true accountability and justice. Higgs is trying to divide our province, demonizing First Nations people and communities of colour instead of working toward unity and reconciliation. We must come together, restore relationships, and build a province where everyone feels welcomed and secure. Working collaboratively, we can achieve a better future for all New Brunswickers.
Social Justice candidate Tasha Rossignol
RVS: Why are you running?
TR: I am running because I see a dire need. I’m a nurse, and as a nurse, when you see that something needs to be done, you stand up and do it. Our government makes decisions on our behalf without considering the citizens, and NBers suffer the consequences.
When the focus of government is the bottom line, people will suffer. We’re not a product like fuel or lumber. When you make changes/cuts to save money to grow your bottom line — and people are attached — you HAVE to keep a close pulse on the people to ensure your changes aren’t causing adverse effects like homelessness, declining healthcare, hunger, etc!
Currently, decisions are made at the government level, implemented and never thought about again, and whatever happens, happens! That’s a very dangerous and irresponsible way to implement change.
RVS: Healthcare is in crisis. What is the first step to repairing the system?
TR: The first step is fixing Long Term Care (LTC). We need LTC beds. Our hospitals are maxed out and failing because LTC is bogging down acute care. Acute care is the absolute wrong place for people who need LTC.
We have known for decades about the pending demand for care as baby boomers aged. LTC needs additional resources and infrastructure to meet these needs, yet the government did nothing. The only way to fix the healthcare crisis is to fix LTC.
RVS: Education has been in the headlines for the last two years. The system faces multiple challenges — lack of teachers, support staff, bus drivers, French immersion teacher shortages….which, with the Policy 713 controversy, has resulted in low morale. What steps do you take to start repairing the system?
TR: The government needs to invest in its essential services and employees! Government needs to listen to experts (educators) and build an education system that will meet the needs of ALL New Brunswickers! We live in Canada’s only bilingual province, yet French/English language training isn’t available or accessible. Every citizen with a New Brunswick Medicare card should have access to French/English language training! There are excellent language training programs available.
Policy 713- I greatly respect the LGBTQ2+ community and will fight to ensure they have a safe place to live with equality. However, Policy 713 and LGBTQ2+ rights are not the same.
Policy 713 excludes parents from a conversation about their minor children. Parents shouldn’t be excluded from the table when the topic is their children. Members of the LGBTQ2+ are also parents and don’t want to be excluded.
Teachers and other educators are not equipped to deal with gender identity. Any New Brunswick student struggling with gender identity should be referred to a gender identity subject matter expert for guidance.
RVS: We’ve come through worldwide inflation, and NBers are struggling to meet everyday costs. We are facing a housing crisis, cost of living increases, and lack of a rent cap, and all of these things have contributed to homelessness. In an era where we face multiple crises, how can the next government address these while remaining fiscally responsible?
TR: The rates at which costs are rising on essential goods are higher in New Brunswick than in any province, and yet, our government has announced a surplus.
Our current government has abandoned us during the most expensive time in our history! At a time when federal demands have placed New Brunswickers in the most fiscally draining position we’ve been in, our provincial government is pinching our own pennies and collecting a pile of our own money. While our essential sectors and employers are collapsing under higher costs, our province runs a surplus!
RVS: What issue do you think is not being talked about enough?
TR: Long-Term Care is not being discussed enough! The LTC crisis has been predicted for decades, so there’s ZERO reason we aren’t more prepared to care for our senior population and get ahead of CHRONIC issues. LTC is crippling our acute care system because government hasn’t prepared adequately. The government is stuck in response mode — dealing with crisis, with no time to get ahead of CHRONIC issues… we can do better!
