Rumors that circulated for several months in New Brunswick regarding the potential call of a provincial election in 2023 ultimately cost the government more than $3.2 million, including nearly $2 million in expenses that cannot be recovered.
This is what the Chief Electoral Officer of New Brunswick, Kim Poffenroth, concluded in a letter she addressed Friday to the Standing Committee on Procedure, Privileges and Officers of the Legislative Assembly.
In this letter, Mme Poffenroth argued that Elections New Brunswick went way over budget for 2023-24 because it had to be prepared in case voters were called to the polls earlier than expected.
“The event I am referring to is the high-profile rumor that surfaced in June 2023, and again in September 2023, that the next provincial general election, scheduled for October 21, 2024, could be called earlier than the scheduled date,” she said in her letter.
“Moreover, no directives have been given to contradict these rumors. In fact, statements made in the media fueled them. This left Elections New Brunswick with no choice but to accelerate preparations in order to be ready to hold an early provincial general election. »
In his letter, Mme Poffenroth does not mention Prime Minister Blaine Higgs by name, but the dates she references match several of his public statements.
Premier Higgs began arguing in June that he needed a new mandate to end the discontent within his party. He only put an end to the rumors after the Speech from the Throne in October.
The Prime Minister’s Office did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Ms.me Poffenroth. But in an interview with The Canadian Press last month, Mr. Higgs assured that he was ready to pull the trigger and call a snap election.
“We were ready to go. We had prepared a bus. We were in campaign mode,” he said during the interview.
“But in the end, we won the vote of confidence [lors du discours du Trône]. I had reason to believe that we would be able to manage and continue until the fall [prochain]. »
The opposition does not budge
In his letter, Mme Poffenroth says the province spent at least $1.7 million in expendable costs to hire and train election staff, rent polling stations and install telecommunications equipment.
“Some expenses, such as purchasing equipment and printing materials, would have been incurred regardless of the date of the election. In most cases, they were to be budgeted for in the next fiscal year,” she wrote, noting that figure totaled about $1.5 million.
“Other expenses, such as rental fees, training expenses, returning office staff salaries, are sunk costs, in the sense that they cannot be recovered and will likely be reinvested when the election will take place. »
The leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, Susan Holt, denounced the way things happened.
” It’s frustrating. We could have used this money to offer services to New Brunswickers,” she lamented.
“We could have used it to pay retention bonuses to nurses or to invest in the education network. But no, we throw it in the trash because of the Prime Minister’s indecision and his ego. »
The leader of the province’s Green Party, David Coon, argued that Mr. Higgs should have been firm and not hesitated about the possible calling of the election.
“It was irresponsible on the part of the Prime Minister,” in his opinion.
“When a prime minister plans to call early elections, he calls them. He does not hesitate. I think it just reflects the divisions within his party. And in the end, it was the taxpayers who paid the price. »