Is the Liberal party gearing up for a provincial election sooner rather than later?
JP Lewis, an associate political science professor at UNB Saint John, believes it is possible.
Leader Brian Gallant announced last week he will resign at the party’s next caucus meeting instead of waiting until after a leadership convention.
Lewis said he thinks the party is trying to get its house in order more quickly in the event of an election.
“Maybe they didn’t expect a bit of the volatility that has happened these first few weeks of the Progressive Conservative government, so maybe they are reading into it that there might be an opportunity to bring the government down,” Lewis said.
Upcoming Budget
Gallant suggested it is “quite possible” the government could fall over its upcoming budget, which promises cuts to social programs, but Lewis said it is difficult to say.
He said whenever you try to tighten the province’s financial belt, you are going to upset voters and possibly some specific ridings.
“Does that play out as ridings where the MLAs might have enough pressure to vote against, which may have been a vote that would have been for, meaning someone from the Tory caucus or one of the three People’s Alliance MLAs,” Lewis said.
Interim Leader
We also asked Lewis for his thoughts on who might become interim leader of the Liberal party.
“I would imagine someone who’s had a leadership position in the past, maybe someone from cabinet — [Cathy] Rogers or [Roger] Melanson,” he said.
“Also, you would need someone who isn’t planning to run for leader.”
Story by Brad Perry
Twitter: @BradMPerry
Email: perry.brad@radioabl.ca
(File photo)
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