Vickers Speaks To Saint John Business Crowd

New Brunswick’s new Liberal leader says the province has “gotten the shaft” when it comes to federal support.

Kevin Vickers made the comments during a wide-ranging speech at a Saint John business luncheon on Thursday.

Vickers told the crowd some premiers regularly challenge the province’s reliance on federal equalization payments but said the $1.5 billion New Brunswick receives “pales in comparison” to the money spent in other provinces.

“What if, instead of a few hundred million in equalization payments being sent this way, we saw more federal employees serve the people of Canada working from Prince William Street here in Saint John instead of the office towers of Gatineau,” said Vickers.

An estimated 145,000 civil servants work in the national capital region each year compared to about 10,000 in New Brunswick, he said.

Vickers said he is not asking for handouts or suggesting we be supported by Ottawa — he just wants New Brunswick to get its fair share.

“Ladies and gentlemen, I’m telling you, New Brunswick has gotten the shaft,” he said.

Liberal leader Kevin Vickers is in #SaintJohn today to speak at a Saint John Region Chamber of Commerce event. pic.twitter.com/r8cybmYIxU

— Brad Perry (@BradMPerry) June 13, 2019

Canada’s former ambassador said the government should focus on human resources — not natural resources — to help grow the economy. Vickers zeroed in on Ireland, which he said has the fastest-growing economy in the European Union despite having a limited resource base.

“[During the 2008 financial crisis], their Opportunities New Brunswick called IDA sat down and picked three sectors and prioritized them: social media, technology, pharmaceuticals,” he said.

Vickers said he does support responsible resource development, like the Energy East project, but added First Nation communities need to be on board.

On the topic of climate change, Vickers said even though he does not like the idea of carbon pricing, he believes it is an economically efficient way to deal with the climate challenge.

But Vickers added he is uncomfortable with the idea of New Brunswick paying a higher price than other Maritime provinces and called for a “made-in-the-Maritimes” solution.

Vickers also touched on the need for municipal reform and for politicians to end “needless partisanship.”

“Surely, during one mandate of government, we can all put down our Liberal stripes, our Conservative stripes, our Green stripes, NDP stripes, and work on something together for the good of New Brunswick,” he said.