Economic growth critical to N.B.’s financial future, not just cuts: expert

The New Brunswick government has released a survey ahead of the upcoming provincial budget.

More than 7,300 New Brunswickers filled out the Susan Holt government’s pre-budget consultation survey on how the province could combat its growing debt and another 630 submitted thoughts through email.

Now, New Brunswickers will have to wait 20 days until the budget is tabled to see what it has in store.

Those in the heritage sector say their Save Our Museums campaign will continue, even after March 17.

“Every day is a pressure cooker,” said Association Heritage vice-president and Albert County Museum managing director Janet Clouston.

News that Nova Scotia will be closing several museums has reached N.B.’s heritage industry. And it doesn’t sit will.

“We all feel a little insulted,” she said. “My uncle was on the team that helped build King’s Landing and helped build Village Historique Acadien. And here I am in the heritage world now, and I really love doing what I’m doing and loving the people I’m meeting and the children we’re touring and I know my uncle would be deeply upset right now.”

She said the Canadian Museums Association and National Trust for Canada have reached out to the Association, expressing concern.

Some community schools with fewer than 100 students have been concerned too. Premier Holt told reporters Tuesday that includes 33 schools, but some have already undergone a sustainability review within the last few years, and will not be closed this time.

She did say it’s an exercise that needs to be done every few years.

“We are being careful with every dollar, and we are double checking and triple checking every dollar we spend, so that New Brunswickers can know that this government is making those careful decisions,” she said.

But the province’s focus shouldn’t only be on cuts, says governance and public administration expert Donald J. Savoie.

“That’s important. It needs to be done. If you have a structural deficit, you need to look at it. But in my view, you need to do more than that. You need to know how to grow the economy better,” said.

He believes New Brunswick won’t get out of the red without that growth.

If the province can’t do that, trouble could be on the horizon.

“I think the days of easy transfer payments from Ottawa will be slowing down. Why? Because Ottawa has its own fiscal problem,” he said. “Secondly, the richer provinces are starting to ask questions. Why do we transfer payments to provinces that see no economic growth?”

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