Several cabinet ministers including Attorney-General Ted Flemming and Finance Minister Ernie Steeves were seen driving into the parking garage at Chancery Place, where the premier's office is located.

Three backbench MLAs, Mike Dawson, Michelle Conroy and Ryan Cullins, also arrived, walking into the main entrance.

The Speaker of the legislature, Bill Oliver, showed up too, claiming to be unaware what was going on.

"I'm just going to a meeting. … I'm not sure yet," he said.

  Six caucus members, clockwise from top left, Andrea Anderson-Mason, Trevor Holder, Dorothy Shephard, Jeff Carr, Ross Wetmore and Daniel Allain, were not at Tuesday's meeting. They broke ranks with Higgs in June over changes to the gender-identity policy for schools. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

But the six PC MLAs who broke ranks with Higgs in June over changes to Policy 713, the gender-identity policy for schools, were not at the meeting.

The premier's chief of staff, Paul d'Astous, buttonholed by reporters outside the building, said the meeting was unrelated to a possible election and was not a full caucus meeting.

He said it was a meeting of the policy and priorities board, a committee of cabinet ministers that some backbenchers are able to attend.

But some of the MLAs arriving did not seem to know that. 

"I'm not even sure myself," Cullins said when asked what the meeting was.

Speakers of the legislature, who are officially neutral in their roles, do not attend most caucus meetings for partisan discussions.

Paul d’Astous, the premier’s chief of staff, told reporters outside the building that the Tuesday meeting was unrelated to a possible election and was not a full caucus meeting. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

But d'Astous said Oliver was there Tuesday as a "resource person" to the group because he'll be presiding over the opening of a new session of the legislature on Oct. 17.

D'Astous wouldn't guarantee that will happen, however.

"Anything can change," he said.

Speaker of the legislature Bill Oliver claimed to be unaware what the meeting was about. D’Astous said Oliver was there as a 'resource person.' (CBC)

The June rebellion and what Higgs calls the resulting "instability" and "political drama" in his caucus is why he has not ruled out a snap election this fall.

As a result, all political parties have been preparing for the possibility. Social Development Minister Jill Green announced last week she will run again.

Another member of cabinet, Health Minister Bruce Fitch, said last week he doesn't think Higgs should call an election this fall.

Under the province's Elections Act, it's now too late for a provincial election to take place Nov. 6. The next possible date is Monday, Nov. 13.

Dawson, elected in 2022 as MLA for Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin, said if Higgs asks his advice, he'll encourage him to do it. 

"I can go to the polls tomorrow," he said.

"Why not? Are we going to able to function … in the middle of this month?"

Dawson said he doesn't trust assurances by the six MLAs who broke ranks in June that they'll support Higgs's agenda in the legislature.

Backbench MLA Mike Dawson said if Higgs asked his advice on a snap election, he’d encourage him to do it. (Jacques Poitras/CBC)

"They'll probably say whatever they want to get back into the house," he said.

Those six have declared emphatically they won't vote against the government in any confidence votes such as the budget, and some have said they know of no bills this fall they'd vote against.

But they also said in a joint letter to the PC caucus in August that they want all Tory MLAs to have more input into government decision-making.

They've also accused Higgs of refusing to hold a full meeting of the 29-member PC caucus to sort out the disagreement.

Some of the MLAs arriving told reporters they weren't aware that the group of six had not been invited.

"You know more than we do," Conroy said.

A spokesperson notified reporters hours before the meeting started that Higgs would not be available to speak to reporters.