As millions of Canadians prepare to turn back their clocks this weekend, New Brunswick MLAs weighed in Friday on whether the province should keep the time change. Premier Susan Holt told reporters that New Brunswickers want her government to prioritize other issues — but that conversations about the future of the time change are happening. “What matters to New Brunswickers is where we fit with our neighbours and how our time zone works to give us economic opportunity,” she said. This week, Quebec’s governing party announced plans to do away with the time change. But it, and Maritime provinces, are still moving clocks back an hour this weekend. Out West, Alberta, parts of British Columbia and Manitoba are approaching their first fall without the time change, while Saskatchewan got rid of the change in 1966. Amidst the changes elsewhere, Progressive Conservative MLA Margaret Johnson wants the government to take another look at the practice. “I think it’s something we really have to look at in terms of a Maritime or Atlantic initiative because we’re so dependent on each other,” she said. She told reporters that when she was a teacher, she saw the impact on students. “The teachers will feel it big time,” she said. Provincial Green Party leader David Coon said the science supports keeping the same time all year. “If this government wants to make a decision about that, they need to go with the science and they need to hear from New Brunswickers,” he said. “And the science says stick with standard time year-round.” For more New Brunswick news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
