Election is a dilemma for anti-Higgs PC members

It's decision time for the Progressive Conservatives in New Brunswick who were hoping to replace Blaine Higgs as leader this time last year.

With the start of the provincial election campaign less than two weeks away, the unhappy PC members must make up their minds on whether to support their party despite their dislike of its leader.

Former PC cabinet minister Jean-Pierre Ouellet, now the mayor of Haut-Madawaska, saiddespite his reservations about Higgs, he's voting PC because his municipal colleague, Coun. Michel Morin, is running.

"I know he's someone who will do a good job, so personally, I support the candidate, and I haven't changed my mind about the leader."

But other breakaway Tories are ruling out voting for PC candidates in the election.

"I'm not going to be putting an X next to Blaine Higgs," said Jason Sully, a former political assistant in the governmentwho lives in Quispamsis, where Higgs is the candidate.

WATCH | 'Mr. Higgs will not be there for life': Unhappy PC members face decision:

Anti-Higgs PCs face dilemma in upcoming election

6 days ago

Duration 1:03

Some PC members who wanted Higgs gone will stay home, others will support party at the polls.

It's "a difficult choice," saidRoger Lger of Dieppe, a PC party supporter for around 50 years who supported an attempt to review Higgs's leadership last year.

"It will remain private, it will remain confidential, but I'm left with a dilemma."

The revolt against Higgs's leadership erupted after the premier made changes to Policy 713 so that it requires teachers to get parental consent if a student under the age of 16 wants to adopt a new name and pronoun at school.

Six PC MLAs broke ranks with the premier and voted with the opposition to pass a Liberal motion calling for further study of the issue.

Two of those MLAs, Dorothy Shephard and Trevor Holder, resigned as ministers, saying Policy 713 was just the latest example of Higgs not consulting his caucus and deviating from the values of the party.

Sully worked for Shephard, and he is urging fellow PC members not to back the premier.

"Your local PC candidate might be a nice person, might be a good neighbour, might be a great friend but a vote for them is still a vote for Blaine Higgs."

In the wake of last year's turmoil, some grassroots party members began gathering signatures in the hopes of triggering a leadership review vote under the party's rules.

But that push ultimately fell short of the required numbers, according to the party, and Higgs declared that he would remain as leader to take the party into this year's election.

Many of the unhappy members say they won't take part in the upcoming election, which is scheduled for Oct. 21.

"I'm more or less sitting this one out," said John Williston, who had been a regional vice-president of the party in southeast New Brunswick.

Marc Savoie, a former president of the Moncton East PC association, said he will, too.

Williston said fellow party members he knows may spoil their ballot or simply stay home.

"As much as I consider myself a loyal member of the Progressive Conservative Party, it'd be very hard to bring myself to cast a ballot for a candidate who's endorsing the continued leadership of Blaine Higgs," he said.

Among the six MLAs who broke ranks last year all of whom decided not to run as candidates this year only one says he is supporting the PC party.

"My support and commitment to the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick is unwavering," Moncton East MLA Daniel Allain said in an email.

Allain was shuffled out of cabinet for his vote on Policy 713.

"I look forward to continuing to build this party in the future, which to me means being fiscally conservative and socially progressive," said Allain, who said he's going to help his colleague and friend, PC cabinet minister Greg Turner, campaign in Moncton South.

Among the other rebellious MLAs, Shephard, Ross Wetmore and Jeff Carr would not say who they will vote for and all said they would not be involved in the campaign.

"I will be voting for the candidate that best represents my values and values that I feel best represent the people of New Brunswick," Wetmore said.

"For the first time in many years and elections I have no intention of being active, bothphysically nor monetarily, in any local or provincial campaign."

Two others from the group, Trevor Holder and Andrea Anderson-Mason, did not respond to the emailed questions from CBC News.

Former environment minister Gary Crossman, who resigned in April saying his views "no longer align in many ways with the direction of our party and government," has endorsed Liberal candidate John Herron in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins.

Higgs has said all the departures from his caucus represent an opportunity to bring in new people with new ideas as PC candidates.

"We're all focused, we all have great alignment," he said in July. "We're all on the same page, and that's an exciting position for me to be in."

Lger said the decision to sit out the campaign and potentially vote for another party is "painful because I think we remain, in spirit, Progressive Conservatives and wholeheartedly believe in the party and what it stands for."

Savoie said he'll return to the party whenever Higgs leaves "to help elect a new leader worthy of the title, a true Progressive Conservative."

Ouellet says that's one argument for helping elect PC candidates now: to stake out some ground in the battle over the future of the party.

"It's important for people to not throw in the towel," he said.

"There needs to be people in the party who believe in the values of the party. You can't leave the field open to people who want to take the party in another direction. Mr. Higgs will not be there for life."