Social development minister will not 'shirk' tough questions

Saint John Lancaster MLA Dorothy Shephard, a strong opposition voice on social development issues during four years of Liberal government, now gets a chance to prove she can do better.

Shephard was sworn in Friday as social development minister and minister responsible for the Economic and Social Inclusion Corporation.

She was active as the Progressive Conservative critic for social development, arguing, for example, that children are being damaged by a system that gives their parentstoo many chances to fail.

Shephard was first elected in 2010 and was appointed to David Alward'scabinet two years lateras minister of healthy and inclusive communities. In 2017, she took a leave from the legislature because of a breast cancer diagnosis but was cleared in time to campaign and be re-elected in Saint John Lancaster.

As she seeks to make a difference in the new government of Blaine Higgs, government accountability is at the top of her list, she said.

BlaineHiggshas made it very clear that we are not to shirk answers.- Dorothy Shephard

"What I want to understand is whether it's policy, whether it's regulations, whether it's law that we need to start addressing in order to make decisions that are taken for children, [and] be more accountable," she said.

"So I have some homework to do."

'Critical thinking'

Shephard did not hold back with former minister Stephen Horsman when he was unaware of certain details about child protection and child deaths in the province. She calledfor his resignation in February.

Nowthat it's her turn, she said, she will use"critical thinking" to avoid making the same mistake as her predecessor.

"I think one of the most important attributes of any minister is to be critical thinker," she said.

"It has been my experience through my eight years as an elected MLA that leadership comes from the top, and Blaine Higgs has made it very clear that we are not to shirk answers, that we're not to shirk good, critical-thinking questions."

In 2017, a Nova-Scotia based consultant was hired to review New Brunswick'schild protection system. Shephard said responding to the report is "top of list" for her.

"I'm hoping to know later this morning," she told Information Morning Saint John on Tuesday.

Riding priorities

Shephard said she will do her best to be accountable, specifically in the areas of child safety and senior services.

With the premier and five MLAsall being from the Saint John area, she saidthe PCs have to work harder to include the rest of the province.

Deputy premierRobertGauvin is the only member of the 22-member caucus who is francophone.

"I think the fact that we have a southern-province-heavy government means that we all have a responsibility to keep the entire provincein mind," Shephard said.

And for Saint John-Lancaster in particular, she said, people care about economic issues the most.

"Saint John-Lancaster sees the big picture they want our economy to improve," she said.