The Blaine Higgs government has canceled the reading of the Throne Address, scheduled for Tuesday in Fredericton. The current cycle will simply be extended, which could open the door to faster passage of special legislation to force striking government employees back to work.
The government has not yet explained its decision or indicated whether it intends to pass special legislation to that effect.
Several sources confirmed to Radio Canada that the news was announced to lawmakers in the early afternoon of Monday. Some deputies were surprised by this government’s decision.
The current parliamentary session will simply continue.
So the Blaine Higgs government will not spend a day delivering its address from the throne – an address that allows the government to announce its orientation and goals – and the opposition will not spend a day responding to it.
So progressive conservatives will be able to introduce bills more quickly.
The Legislative Assembly will resume on Tuesday at 13:00. It was postponed on 10 June.
About 20,000 government employees represented by the Canadian Federation of Public Employees (SCFP) in New Brunswick I go on strike on Friday.
More details to come
With information from Pascal Reich Noog
