Earlier today the Higgs Government passed Bill 10, An Act to Amend the New Brunswick Income Tax Act, a bill that benefits those with higher incomes but ignores people struggling to make ends meet.

“It’s disappointing that this government doesn’t understand that it’s the people who make less money that need more help right now, even though it’s a pretty easy concept to understand” says René Legacy, Official Opposition critic for Finance and Treasury Board. “The cost of living is skyrocketing and lots of New Brunswickers are struggling to make ends meet, they’re the ones we should be targeting. They’re the ones that are forced to make the difficult decisions, forced to decide what bills get paid this month.”

In an attempt to push government to provide direct support to the New Brunswickers who need it more, the Liberal Opposition used their time during Opposition Day to debate Motion 7, that would see the Home Energy Assistance Program reinstated and reinforced, as well as the elimination of the HST tax on heating fuels.

“We are pushing government to bring back the Home Energy Assistance Program that they cancelled not long ago and remove the HST tax on heating fuels because these are things that would actually provide real, upfront relief to those who need it” says Mr. Legacy. “Unfortunately, the Higgs government used their majority to vote against it.”

“As the Official Opposition, we will continue to offer this government real ways to provide relief to New Brunswickers because that’s why we were elected and that’s what New Brunswickers deserves” concluded Mr. Legacy.