November 5, 2024
Honourable René Legacy
Minister of Finance and Treasury Board, Minister responsible for Energy, Minister responsible for the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Deputy Premier
P.O. Box 6000
Fredericton, NB E3B 5H1
Dear Minister,
Thank you for accepting to serve New Brunswickers as Minister of Finance and Treasury Board, Minister responsible for Energy, Minister responsible for the Right to Information and Protection of Privacy Act and Deputy Premier. From your long history in finance with UNI to your extensive leadership experience with the Conseil Économique, the Northern New Brunswick Airport Authority, the Bathurst Hospitality Days, the Chaleur Regional Hospital Foundation, and so much more, I know that you have the skills and capacity required to deliver on the priorities of New Brunswickers.
Our government is honoured that New Brunswickers gave us a mandate to implement a vision that so many New Brunswickers helped create. We have the privilege of being entrusted with a mandate to focus on New Brunswickers by working with them and listening to them to create a brighter future we all deserve. It is their expectation of us, and my expectation of you, that we deliver on the promises we’ve made. New Brunswickers need to know that they can trust us, and that we will focus on them.
It is an honour to serve the people of this beautiful province with you. This mandate letter is intended to communicate our government’s intentions and expectations of your portfolio, and to begin the process of accountability so New Brunswickers know for what they can hold us accountable.
Our platform focuses on the priorities that matter most to the people of this province. It reflects the stories and solutions shared by New Brunswickers and it is centred on what we can achieve together. In addition to our priorities, I will also share my expectations of how we act as a government, and as ministers.
GOVERNMENT PRIORITIES
- Healthcare
- Affordability and Housing
- Education
- Economic Development
- Environment
- Leadership You Can Trust
As Minister, you will contribute to all the pillar priorities. You are expected to support this work and are accountable to deliver on the priority areas under your portfolio as outlined below.
MEASURABLE OUTCOMES
- Reduced Cost of Living: Families across New Brunswick will experience a reduction in their monthly household expenses, making life more affordable for all residents.
- Achieve a balanced budget for fiscal year 2025-26.
- Make progress toward a 100% non-emitting grid.
- Settle expired contracts.
- It is expected that you will work with staff to determine the appropriate measures / outcomes for the commitments below.
AS LEAD
PLATFORM THEME |
COMMITMENT |
LEAD
|
Healthcare - Caring for the People Who Care for You |
Immediately deliver retention payments to show our respect for nurses and examine other tools that aid retention and recruitment. |
FTB |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Overhaul property tax to ensure stability and fairness. |
FTB SNB |
Affordability and Housing - Affording the Basics |
Immediately remove the Higgs Gas Tax, saving you around 4 cents a litre at the pumps. |
Energy |
Affordability and Housing - Affording the Basics |
Immediately remove the provincial sales tax (PST) on electricity, providing 10% relief from home energy bills. |
Energy (Lead) FTB (Support) |
Affordability and Housing - Affording the Basics |
Temporarily remove the provincial sales tax (PST) on new multi-unit housing construction projects to help encourage the development of affordable housing – something other Atlantic provinces have already done. |
FTB |
Economic Development - Fiscal Responsibility |
Balance the budget in each year of our mandate. |
FTB |
Economic Development - Investing in Good Paying Jobs |
Deliver an energy plan that provides affordable, reliable, clean energy for New Brunswickers and New Brunswick businesses. · While we move to a 100 percent non-emitting grid, we will work with the federal government to ensure big emitters bear the brunt of the price on carbon. |
Energy (Lead) FTB (Support) |
Economic Development - Investing in Good Paying Jobs |
Increase productivity by reviewing and improving investment tax credits like SBITC and scientific research and economic development (SR/ED) credits to ensure investments in research, automation, and technology. |
FTB |
Economic Development - Investing in Good Paying Jobs |
Close cell coverage and high-speed internet gaps across the province. |
FTB |
Environment |
Increase support for home energy retrofits, free heat pump program, and introduce a provincial program for solar retrofits. |
Energy |
Leadership You Can Trust |
Strengthen the Public Interest Disclosure Act (Whistleblower Act) to ensure anonymity and employment protections for the whistleblower. |
FTB |
Leadership You Can Trust |
Reform our Right to Information legislation to ensure more accessible and less restrictive access to the public. |
FTB |
As Support
PLATFORM THEME |
COMMITMENT |
LEAD |
Healthcare - Care in Your Community |
Invest in modern technology, including centralized waitlists and standardized digital records management systems, to facilitate the seamless and secure exchange of patient information among healthcare providers, regions, the regional health authorities, and community care clinics. |
DH |
Healthcare - Caring for the People Who Care for You |
Create a multi-pronged plan developed for all healthcare professionals to improve working conditions, prioritize support for their wellness, and increase retention. |
DH |
Healthcare - Caring for the People Who Care for You |
Improve the compensation model for doctors and primary care providers, including fair pay for those who perform after-hours care. |
DH |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Review and update the process and standards for home care allocation and invest in increased wages for homecare workers.
|
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Implement a caregiver benefit for unpaid and informal caregivers of aging family members, giving caregivers $250 a month to recognize their contribution. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Care at Home and Long-Term Care |
Ensure all existing nursing home beds are accessible by filling staffing gaps by investing in wages for personal support workers and resident attendants ultimately resulting in increased hours of care. |
Seniors |
Healthcare - Healthcare for All |
Increase access to fertility treatments by funding one round of IVF, which is in line with jurisdictions across Canada. |
DH |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Stop the degradation of public housing and invest in both the renovation and creation of new public housing. |
HNB |
Affordability and Housing - A Place to Call Home |
Model a Community Housing Retention and Expansion Pilot to fund housing in the non-profit and community sectors that support capacity building pre-construction costs, and acquisition. |
HNB |
Affordability and Housing - Income Support |
Increase social assistance rates given the rising cost of food and housing, while ensuring regulations are not penalizing recipients. |
SD |
Affordability and Housing - Income Support |
Increase the capacity of New Brunswickers receiving social assistance to participate in the workforce without financial penalty or loss of benefits. |
SD |
Affordability and Housing - Income Support |
Explore a plan for a basic income for New Brunswickers living with disabilities. |
SD |
Education - Stabilizing our Classrooms |
Increase financial support for those entering education professions. |
PETL |
Education - Stabilizing our Classrooms |
Retain and recruit teachers, support professionals, educational assistants, and bus drivers, leading to a better environment for all education professionals. We will: · Improve working conditions for all education professionals, prioritizing support and wellness. · Increase financial support for those entering education professions. |
EECD |
Education - Stabilizing our Classrooms |
Support inclusive education for all students by reviewing class composition and identifying and filling the staffing, training, and resourcing gaps impacting the effective implementation of Policy 322. |
EECD |
Education - Support for Post-Secondary Education |
Continue to make provincial student loans interest-free. |
PETL |
Education - Support for Post-Secondary Education |
Provide additional grants for students studying to work in high-priority fields including healthcare, the building trades and education. |
PETL |
Economic Development - Addressing Workforce Needs |
Phase in pay equity in the private and care sector, using a model similar to Quebec and Ontario.
|
WE |
Economic Development - Addressing Workforce Needs |
Focus immigration pathways on critical labour needs like healthcare, building trades and education, and supporting newcomers to make New Brunswick home. |
PETL |
Economic Development - Investing in Good Paying Jobs |
Deliver an energy plan that provides affordable, reliable, clean energy for New Brunswickers and New Brunswick businesses. · While we move to a 100 percent non-emitting grid, we will work with the federal government to ensure big emitters bear the brunt of the price on carbon. |
Energy |
Economic Development - Investing in Good Paying Jobs |
Leverage our opportunities and strengths to invest in the right sectors at the right time including emerging opportunities in energy, technology, agriculture, and manufacturing. |
ONB |
Economic Development - Investing in Good Paying Jobs |
Increase New Brunswick exports by diversifying our international markets and working with our Canadian neighbours to remove trade and credential barriers posing economic roadblocks. |
ONB |
Environment |
Ensure all government buildings are net zero and that our vehicle fleet, including school buses, are electrified by 2035. |
DTI |
Environment |
Implement the recommendations of the Legislative Assembly’s all-party Standing Committee on Climate Change and Environmental Stewardship to increase restrictions on pesticide and herbicide use, including examining the banning of aerial spraying. |
ECC |
Environment |
Investigate alternatives to pesticide and herbicide use and re-evaluate the safety of glyphosate with new and comprehensive data specific to New Brunswick. |
ECC |
Leadership You Can Trust |
Work with municipalities to implement comprehensive and fair fiscal reform. |
LG |
RESPONSIBILITIES FOR CROWN ENTITIES
In addition to your other responsibilities, you are the Minister responsible for:
- Energy and Utilities Board
- Financial and Consumer Services Commission - Board
- New Brunswick Insurance Board
- New Brunswick Lotteries and Gaming Corporation
- New Brunswick Municipal Finance Corporation
- New Brunswick Power Corporation
Government is responsible for the legislative, regulatory, and public policy frameworks in which Crown entities operate. As Minister you are expected to uphold your statutory responsibilities associated with these entities.
HOW WE WILL WORK
Our government is committed to evidence-based decision-making across all departments. We will operate under an ‘open by default’ principle to improve transparency and trust in government.
We will “get out of the office” and engage authentically with New Brunswickers, communities, stakeholders, and experts inspired by the disability advocacy principle of “Nothing about us without us”.
We recognize that one size does not fit all – that some communities will need different things to thrive and our legislation, policies and programs should be designed to support those unique differences.
We will prioritize partnerships, trusting and empowering the people and organizations on the ground working most closely with New Brunswickers.
The Official Languages Act, which guarantees the equality of our official languages and linguistic communities, is an integral part of our culture, our history and our future as a province. I expect us all to work together to show leadership to enable New Brunswick to fulfill its role as a leader in official languages in the country and the world.
We commit to rebuilding relationships with First Nations based on a nation-to-nation relationship that establishes trust and a shared understanding of treaty obligations.
We will be a government that cares for all New Brunswickers and that does our best to bring people together. New Brunswickers have placed their trust in us, and we will work every day to hold that trust.
I expect all ministers to serve with the highest personal and professional integrity. As a Cabinet Minister, you must follow conflict of interest rules, and the conduct outlined in the Minister’s Handbook. Our Westminster system relies on cabinet confidentiality and solidarity.
I expect you to always respect your Cabinet and Caucus colleagues, as well as those MLAs who represent different political parties.
I also expect you to develop a professional relationship with your Deputy Minister and other officials in your department. I expect your officials to keep you fully briefed on matters pertaining to your portfolio. I request that you be accessible to such officials, to seek and hear their advice, their concerns, and understand they are there to serve our government in a non-partisan manner.
Members of the Executive Council and their staff are responsible to contribute to a respectful workplace environment at GNB. A respectful workplace values diversity and inclusion, courteous conduct, equality, positive communication, and professional working relationships. Neither GNB nor I will condone or tolerate any form of harassment in the workplace.
We are going to lead with a balanced approach. That means we will watch the bottom line and deliver fiscal responsibility while we improve the services that New Brunswickers need, like health care and education and an affordable place to call home.
I look forward to the results we will achieve together for New Brunswickers. Thank you for joining me in service to our beloved province.
Sincerely,
______________________
Premier
Honourable Susan Holt
c.c.: Clerk of the Executive Council and Head of the Public Service