Higgs rejects charge his government isn't co-operating with Ottawa on flood work
33 Comments
David Amos Methinks everybody is playing politics with this issue including me but at least Karen Ludwig, Ross Wetmore and Bill Oliver know that I had a very legitimate beef about no access to and from my property in Kars N'esy Pas?
Josef Blow
Reply to @David Amos: yawn ...
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Josef Blow: Is it past your bedtime TJ?
Josef Blow
Reply to @David Amos: TJ? Have we forgotten to take our stabilization treatment this evening O (self)Anointed One? The air in a Hoover vacuum has more substance, Dave.
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Josef Blow: Methinks you are talking to yourself again N'esy Pas?
David Amos Reply to @David Amos: Methinks even the spin doctors working for Mr Higgs must have got a giggle out of the exchange between ye old "Blogger General" and I N'esy Pas TJ?
Paul Bourgoin Well ! ,Well !, it was going to happen sooner or later, but now it is here: Higgs sounds just like President TRUMP : - (
Joseph Vacher
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: in what way? explain yourself
Paul Estey
Reply to @Joseph Vacher: Yes, Mr Bourgoin please explain yourself....We cant continue to spend money we dont have
Lou Bell
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: Looks like the old " playing politics " claim backfired on DeCourcey !
Josef Blow
Reply to @Joseph Vacher: Mr. Bourgoin will give you three guesses Joe … now, go slowly, think about it … not too fast, but try to draw the parallel between Big Don and Lil Blain … get it yet? He'll send you the crayolas if this proves to be too burdensome.
Marguerite Deschamps
Reply to @Josef Blow: Alzheimer is setting in into old Lou.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: Exactly.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Josef Blow: How much for a blow?
Josef Blow
Reply to @Marc Martin: I won’t criticize your lack of cerebral matter if you stop ridiculing my name. Speaking of you and cerebral matter in the same sentence is oxymoronic.
Marc Martin
Reply to @Josef Blow: There is only one word that describe a person like you * sciolist * Have a good now Mr. Blows.
David Amos
Reply to @Marguerite Deschamps: Methinks you are fine one to joke of such things N'esy Pas?
Dan Lee Its alive.........alive I tell ya
David Amos Reply to @Dan Lee: Methinks Mr Higgs was just having a snooze after his budget passed thanks to Krissy. Now that Matty jerked his chain the temporary premier just playing his part at the Circus before a long hot summer break and the next federal election is upon us N'esy Pas?
Joseph Vacher What did you do last time Matt? Nothing.......
David Amos Reply to @Joseph Vacher: I was wondering the same thing
Colin Seeley Barfable article. NB is broke. Even 50/50 sharing is unaffordable.
Another pre-election smear from the Liberalized media.
Josef Blow
Reply to @Colin Seeley: What riding are you running in Col? NB needs a man like youse ...
David Amos
Content disabled
Reply to @Josef Blow: Methinks you should run in Fundy Royal in October Then we can debate in real space and time N'esy Pas?
David Amos
Reply to @Josef Blow: Oh My My Methinks that I was correct N'esy Pas?
Roland Godin Wonderful, wonderful, the three headed friendly dragon(municipal, provincial, federal) each charging horrendous administrations fees, mostly used for political capital, dancing on each other’s projects, programmes and services and the tail end feeding from one financial source; yours et la mienne...et voilà.
David Amos
Reply to @Roland Godin: Methinks plus ça change, plus c'est la même chose N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin Isn't higgs the one that said the government should stop paying periquations to provinces ? Cluless party...
John Smith
Reply to @Marc Martin: i think it was a suggestion it would harm the prov budgets of the folks that want to block a national energy strategy more then those who want one. if irving was smart he would just build a refinery in montreal they apparently have a disdain for tge maritimes and want to see everyone starve from newfoundland to new brunswick no industry permitted since confederation
David Amos
Reply to @john smith: Methinks it high time New Brunswick had its on Constitution N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin Reply to @john smith: Its well known that the oil sands CANNOT be processed in the Irving oil refinery, it would cost billions to convert it, billions from the Federal and provincial government that would procure little jobs to NB.
Fred Dee People like DeCourcey should not be elected, yet alone re-elected. He is a mouth piece for Ottawa, not a mouth piece for the people of Fredericton!!! He is too bust trying to please Justin and get re-elected to look after the voters of Fredericton!!
David Amos
Reply to @Fred Dee: I concur
John Smith i think it was a suggestion it would harm the prov budgets of the folks that want to block a national energy strategy more then those who want one. if irving was smart he would just build a refinery in montreal they apparently have a disdain for tge maritimes and want to see everyone starve from newfoundland to new brunswick
David Amos
Reply to @john smith: Methinks everybody knows that the Irving Clan would not fare very well in Quebec particularly after their recent game with Admiral Norman N'esy Pas?
Paul Bourgoin Premier Blaine Higgs says New Brunswick has been co-operating with the federal government But they (the federal government) don't listen to what I say, or do what I tell them to do!!
David Amos
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: Methinks you forgot the francophonie games nonsense or the fact that they didn't like Mr Higgs pulling out of the fancy four lane highway project in Dominic Leblanc's and Brian Gallant's neck of the woods N'esy Pas?
Marc Martin
Reply to @Paul Bourgoin: Yeah that's pretty much it !!
Marc Martin
Reply to @David Amos: Cry me a river....
David Amos
Reply to @Marc Martin: Methinks you cry enough for both of us N'esy Pas?
Higgs rejects charge his government isn't co-operating with Ottawa on flood work
Federal government recently announced 4 flood mitigation projects in New Brunswick
Keith McKay and Dee Branston use a canoe to carry food to a house on Jarvis Street in Fredericton on April 26. (Stephen MacGillivray/Canadian Press)
Premier Blaine Higgs says New Brunswick has been co-operating with the federal government on flood mitigation ever since water levels started to swell along the St. John River this spring.
Although he acknowledged a couple of areas where the two governments don't see eye to eye, Higgs said Monday that they have worked together closely in response to the flood.
"For me, it's more important to focus on the needs of those that have been impacted," Higgs said.
He was responding to Fredericton MP Matt DeCourcey, who expressed frustration last week with what he saw as the province's lack of interest in working with the federal government on flood remediation projects.
"The provincial government doesn't want to invest with us in important infrastructure for fear of having people like me re-elected," DeCourcey told CBC News.
DeCourcey said he reached out to Environment Minister Jeff Carr on May 16 to start the process of identifying and prioritizing infrastructure work that Ottawa has already agreed to fund, but he didn't get an answer.
After learning through "local media" that Carr considered DeCourcey's efforts a political gimmick, the Liberal MP said he decided to write an open letter to Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs.
But Higgs said it appears both DeCourcey and Carr thought the other was playing politics.
"I think they probably both share the thought that politics was being played here, but that's between the two of them," Higgs said in an interview with Information Morning Fredericton. "I'm not going to get involved with that."
When the flooding started this year, he said, his government contacted Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's office and requested military assistance right away.
Three weeks ago, Premier Blaine Higgs met with federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau to discuss support for New Brunswick residents affected by flooding (CBC)
"Within less than 48 hours I had a call from Prime Minister Trudeau offering whatever assistance was needed," he said.
"Once we knew, actually, that it was going to meet the thresholds of disaster relief, we were applying to the federal government. We took advantage of that during the flood."
Since then, he said, the province has also been doing an assessment of flood damage incurred this past spring.
CBC News asked for an interview with Carr but was told he wasn't available.
Higgs meets with Canada's finance minister
Three weeks ago, Higgs also met with federal Finance Minister Bill Morneau and discussed support for New Brunswick residents affected by flooding and financial help to fix roads and bridges. Higgs said they also discussed future mitigation projects.
On Friday, the federal government announced four New Brunswick flood mitigation projects worth more than $660,000 in federal funding.
Higgs said those projects have been in the works for the past "several weeks."
One of the projects includes more than $172,000 toward a risk assessment that will identify flood hazards, potential impacts and community and infrastructure vulnerabilities in Fredericton. The federal government will also fund the replacement of the Corbert Brook Culvert "to ensure a reliable potable water connection" in Fredericton for $640,000.
CBC News
Is flooding along the St. John River the new norm?
For two years in a row, floodwater reached historic levels along the lower St. John River system. 1:27
Another $81,500 will go to flood mitigation in Saint John, and another $461,500 will fund flood-proofing upgrades of the Musquash Water Pumping Station in Saint John.
"The purpose was to let them know we had reached that threshold and we would be seeking funding." Earlier this month, the Progressive Conservative government also increased the amount of advanced funding to property owners to $15,000 from $4,000 to allow residents to return home sooner.
Spending on infrastructure that needs fixing
Higgs did say DeCourcey could be getting confused with infrastructure projects the province has cancelled or postponed that don't have anything to do with flooding, such as a new building for the New Brunswick Museum.
"I said I would welcome funding for support for projects that we actually have to fix, like roads and bridges and things that are in bad shape that we need help on."
How the St. John River floods
How high will the St. John River rise this spring, and does the Mactaquac Dam have anything to do with it? A New Brunswick flood, explained. 1:26
Higgs said the only areas where provincial and federal governments see significant debate is the federal carbon tax and spending money on things the province believes New Brunswickers don't need.
"We have money to spend on real infrastructure projects that we need to repair and replace," Higgs said. "And that's what I want to focus on and not raise more taxes to create a project that we don't need to have."
