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🧵 Tweet Thread: Observations from a Visit to Fredericton Legislature
1/ Today, I visited @Gov_NB legislature to witness our democracy in action. It was a unique experience that I highly recommend to everyone. Here are my observations:
1/ Today, I visited @Gov_NB legislature to witness our democracy in action. It was a unique experience that I highly recommend to everyone. Here are my observations:
2/ The presence of prayer in the house caught my attention. In a diverse province, it raises questions about how we decide who to worship. Many municipalities have stopped this practice. The behavior changed significantly once the Lord's Prayer concluded.
3/ There's a lot of jeering, talking over each other, and theatrics in the legislature. It is a common occurrence among most parties, although some are more aggressive. This performative behavior is geared toward the cameras.
4/ Questions are asked but rarely answered. The focus is on scoring points and pushing back with prepared talking points. The opposition parties wanted to discuss important topics like Health Care, Education, and Municipalities, all under the umbrella of centralized power.
5/ Each time the government spoke, the blame was placed on Justin Trudeau and the carbon tax for our issues. Climate change is real, and we need to take action. Instead of scoring points, let's be leaders and devise a new plan if the carbon tax isn't working.
6/ The Premier's speeches always have an angry edge. He's critical of the civil service and wants things done his way. While we need better outcomes, elected officials should focus on improving governance rather than micromanaging.
7/ It's striking how differently opposition parties and governments behave. For instance, over the past 40 days, if the PC party were in opposition, they would have called for resignations multiple times. The dynamics are intriguing to observe.
8/ Minister Hogan's response to questions about Bill 46, the Education Act, and others, was dismissive, stating, "Conspiracy theories don't work for me." Treating taxpayers respectfully, building trust, and addressing their concerns are important instead of resorting to theatrics
9/ The government's narrative about the Justin Trudeau Carbon tax causing all our issues were met with a counter-narrative that the Premier introduced legislation passing costs to consumers for the Irving refinery. Transparency PLS. Show the business case, and engage the public.
10/ Question period concluded, and we moved into the second reading of bills. The education act was on the agenda. If you're watching from home, you only see one side of the house. MLA Mitton of the Green Party and Robert Gauvin of the Liberals were the speakers.
11/ What shocked me was that half the caucus, including the Premier and Minister of Education, left the room on the government side. It's concerning that the bill's sponsor didn't even stay to listen to the opposition's concerns. Our democracy needs improvement.
12/ Our democracy thrives when citizens are educated, engaged, and empowered. Our province has much to celebrate, but we're at a crossroads. The well-being of citizens should be our priority, and we must elect competent, motivated, skilled, and compassionate leaders.
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