Higgs promises to confront homelessness 'head-on'

Party leaders aren't the only ones scrambling to get their campaigns out to New Brunswickers.

Elections New Brunswick is launching a campaign called Vote Early, Vote Safelyto "flatten the election curve" during the COVID-19 pandemic

"The campaign is launching later this week toencourage electors to help us make voting as safe as possible,"said KimPoffenroth, the chief electoral officer.

Poffenrothisencouraging people to vote during "off-hours," preferably before election day Sept. 14. Peak voting times are typically in the evenings after work or after supper.

"Lunch hour could also be busy."

Advance polls are Sept. 5 and Sept. 8 between 10 a.m. and 8 p.m. On Sept. 14, voting hours are the same.

Some returning offices still not set up

People can alsovote at the returning offices, which are open six days a week. But some of the buildings haven't been hooked up to the internet more than a week after Premier Blaine Higgs called the unscheduled election.

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Because of thetelecommunications issue,Elections NB is getting some help from Elections Nova Scotia, which has provided its Wi-Fisignal for now.

"We really didn't want to waste anymore time," Poffenroth said.

Here's what the political party leaders have been talking about:

PCs promise to confront homelessness

If re-elected, Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs says his government is prepared to tackle homelessness "head-on."

Campaigning in Moncton,Higgs said about 450 people are homeless in New Brunswick, androughly 5,000 New Brunswickers are waiting for subsidized housing support.

"We are for New Brunswick and are up to the job," Higgs said.

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The government wants to eliminate 1,200 households from the wait-list for subsidized housing, a goal also announced in the spring of 2019.By 2022, Higgs said, 151 new subsidized housing units will be created.

"We know it won't be easy," he said. "We know it will take everyone coming together with community-based solutions, transparency and accountability."

Earlier, his government signed an agreement with the federal government under the national housing strategy,committing nearly $300 million to efforts in New Brunswick over the next 10 years.

Higgs said $62 million is being spent on "flexible housing options," to repair and renovate existing housing stock, and create mixed housing solutions.

"We have to create more opportunities for social inclusion. And a home pathway for people to transition to home ownership."

Meanwhile aplan to turn derelict homes in Moncton into affordable housing has been in limbo for months.Earlier this month, Social Services Minister Dorothy Shephard said a decision on provincial funding was pending, and on Tuesday the PCs said funding for the project still hadn't been decided.

But theysaid they're"committed to work with the municipality" on plans to create affordable housing.

Greens call for moreinclusion for people with disabilities

Green Party Leader David Coon says he wants to ensure people living with disabilities are fully included in New Brunswick society.

Children with disabilities have been included in public schools, he said, but New Brunswick has "failed miserably" in serving children and adults living with a disability.

"People with disabilities have to cope with the cards they've been dealt with in life," he said."Government should be cheering them on and supporting them."

At his campaign office in Fredericton, Coon committed to four actionsin his first 100 days in office.

They include scrapping government's household income policy to enable people with disabilities living on income assistance to get married or live with a roommate without losing their source of income.

People with autism or intellectual disabilities would get access to the mental health-care system, and a New Brunswick Disability Act would make sure people with disabilities no longer face restrictions accessing places such as retail stores and workplaces.

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Coon would also adopt the Disability Action Plan for Persons with Disabilities, written by the Premier's Council on Disabilities.

"It's been a long and difficult struggle for people living with disabilities."

Liberals say they won't closeany rural ERs or hospitals

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers used Sussex as the backdrop for his promise Tuesday that he'll make sure rural hospitals and emergency rooms stay open.

Earlier this year, the Progressive Conservative government tried to cut emergency room services at six hospitals in the province, including the Sussex Health Centre.

A week later, PC Leader Blaine Higgsretracted the plans, sayinghe "can't in good conscience move forward without addressing the concerns and fears that have been brought to light."

But this has provoked skepticism from Vickers andHiggs's former deputy premier, Robert Gauvin, now a Liberal candidate for Shediac Bay-Dieppe. They pushed the notion that Higgs's plan would be revived if he's re-elected.

"Blaine Higgs wants you to think his plan has gone away," Vickers said.

But Vickers did not discuss whether the rural ERs would see a change in hours of operationunder a Liberal government, instead stressing New Brunswickers should be leery of what will happen to health care under Higgs.

People's Alliance sees drug rehab as way to lower crime rate

People's Alliance Leader KrisAustinpledgedsupport for non-profits such asHarvest House Atlantic, a rehabilitation centre in Moncton, which he said play a role in reducing crime rates.

Michelle Conroy, theAlliance candidate seeking re-election inMiramichi, agreed.

"We know that helping people to overcome drug addiction is the key to a healthier individual, which benefits the entire community," said Conroy.

"There is a significant problem with drugs, and this is directly correlated to an increase in the crime rate. We need to help those who are drug addicted so we can contain the crime happening in our area."

Conroy saidMiramichi needs its own rehabilitation centre, since the closest one is about 146 kilometres away in Moncton.

Make health care apriority, medical society asks leaders

The New Brunswick Medical Society urged all political parties on Thursdayto make health care a top priority and called for the recruitment of hundreds of doctors in the next four years.

"New Brunswickers continue to face many challenges when trying to access timely health-care services," said Dr.Chris Goodyear, president of the medical society.

"For too long, our health system has remained stagnant. Now is the time for bold, tangible change to improve access to care for all citizens.

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The society calledfor increased spending on senior care,the hiring of 300 new physicians over the next four years, the development of a virtual-care strategy and continued leadership while responding to the COVID-19 pandemic.

New Brunswick hasone of the oldest populations in Canada and some of the highest rates of chronic health problems such as diabetes, heart diseaseand cancer.

Meanwhile, more than 30,000 New Brunswickers are without a primary care physician.

"We can no longer afford to continue applying bandages to our health-care system," Goodyear said.

"Physicians and other health-care professionals work tirelessly to provide care in a system that simply does not meet the needs of its patients."

Where the leaders are today

Green Party Leader David Coon will be in Saint John for an announcement about property taxes.

Liberal Leader Kevin Vickers will be at Fredericton'sCyber Park Building in Knowledge Park, where he will address cyber security.

PC Leader Blaine Higgs will be making an announcement at Carleton Park in Fredericton.

NDP Leader Mackenzie Thomason will be at the New Brunswick Legislature to share details of the party's platform and introduce candidates.

People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin will be in the Marysville area of Fredericton to speak about energy rebates.

Standings at dissolution:PCs 20, Liberals 20, Greens, 3, People's Alliance 3, Independent 1, vacancies 2

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