Election Day 22: Higgs talks paramedic gaps, NDP promises $10-a-day childcare

On the first day after CBC's electiondebate, all five party leadershit theNew Brunswick campaign trail making at least one policy announcement each.

Speaking in Minto, Progressive Conservative Party Leader Blaine Higgs said he will try to make emergency medical services more accessible by ensuring that ambulances aren't taken off the road because of language-related staffing problems.

"We will hire for skill and train for language," he said.

He said he will redefine what "acceptable" French language proficiency means, adding itmay be different in various areas of the province.Paramedics shouldbe given a chance to upgrade their language skills within a two-year time limit.

"What is the reasonable level of language capability?" he asked."The job requires that you speak both languages, but it requires more than that."

After making theannouncement,Higgs spent most of his time answering questions about the affidavit he revealedin last night'sdebate, in whichhe swears Premier Brian Gallant asked him to join the liberals as minister of finance or deputy minister of finance after the 2014 provincial election.

PANB on registration

The People's Alliance leader Kris Austin said in Fredericton Thursday he will overhaul the motor vehicle system in the province by ending annual vehicle registration and replacing it with a one-time registration at the time of purchase.

He also pledged to eliminate taxing private used-car salesand dropthe requirement to have front license plates.

He said taxes on private resaleof vehiclesare"unfair" and removing themwill save money for individuals aspart of his tax-relief plan.

Gallant makes three announcement

Liberal Party Leader Brian Gallant made three announcements Thursday including a ban onsingle-use plastic bags, following the footsteps of Australia and France. He said he would depend on the hemp industry to replace those shopping bags. Prince Edward Island is scheduled to ban plastic bags in 2019.

In Miramichi, Gallant promised better high-speed internet for rural communities, something the liberal governmentstarted working on before the election.

"The first phase of the project has begun and is expected to be completed by the end of 2019," his release said.

The third announcement Gallant made in was in Lamque, where he promised a re-elected Liberal Government wouldinvest $25 million in its tourism growth strategy.

Gallant also fieldiedquestions from the reporters about Higgs' affidavit.

NDP childcare

New Democratic Leader Jennifer McKenzie promised to introduce a $10-per-day childcare program in public schools that would beoffered before and after scheduled classesfor students and all day for younger children.

She said having it in schools has"a lot of advantages.

"It's on the ground they don't have to be bused somewhere and they are with staff that they're familiar with," she said.

She said her plan would create 1,100 new jobs and could be completedrelatively quickly.

Student loans

Green Party David Coon outlinedhis stance onstudent loan relief Thursday morning in Fredericton saying he would eliminate interest on provincial student loans, if elected. He also promised to reduce the cap for a program that rewards students for completing a four-year degree on time. Students can now have loans over $32,000 forgiven, but he proposes to forgive qualifying loans greater than $20,000.

He said he has no plans to remove programs that have made "recent gains" such as Gallant's free tuition program and tuition relief for the middle class.

- With files fromCatherine Allard, Radio-Canada