Despite what the Green party leader calls “several days of useful discussion” with the Liberals and PCs, David Coon says the conditions do not exist for a deal with either party.
Instead, the Green caucus announced they want all MLAs to sign their declaration of intent.
Coon tells our newsroom they are basically saying they won’t be taking sides.
“The best contributions the Greens can make is to launch an initiative as we’ve done today to encourage all MLA’s to sign on to our declaration of an intent to cooperate across all party lines to provide good governance to New Brunswickers,” Coon says.
NBers want to see all MLAs cooperate to find solutions to our challenges. So my caucus of Green MLAs has drafted a Declaration of Intent to cooperate for all MLAs to consider endorsing, based on the values we share as NBers.
Here is that declaration: https://t.co/ZJSyAEgv9Z— David Coon (@DavidCCoon) October 10, 2018
Meanwhile, Coon says the lack of an agreement doesn’t say anything about how anyone in their caucus might vote with respect to a particular throne speech.
“We’ll look at its merits in terms of what are the commitments, what is the substance, what is the practicality of implementing them and actually get them achieved. That will be the kind of criteria we apply in determining whether or not to support a throne speech.” Coon stated.
Coon says once a government is in place, the people of New Brunswick want to see all of the parties work together to find solutions to the challenges the province is facing.
Premier Brian Gallant says all 49 M-L-As will aim to bring clarity to the minority government situation when a new session of the legislature convenes on October 23rd.
Speaking to reporters in Fredericton today, Gallant says they hear New Brunswickers when they say they want parties to work together.
Gallant says the Liberal caucus has unanimously agreed to support the Green party’s declaration of intent to find solutions to co-operate in the legislature.
He says with the three Green M-L-As indicating a willingness to vote in favour of a throne speech, the Liberals believe they have a clear path to earn at least 24 votes.
