The way Premier Brian Gallant explained it at his state of the province address Thursday, New Brunswick’s priorities don’t always add up.
“As New Brunswickers, we spend more on interest payments on our debt than we invest in universities, colleges and financial aid for students combined,” said Gallant. “This startling fact, I think, best illustrates what I want to talk to you about tonight.”
In front of a sold-out crowd of 1,000 at the Fredericton Convention Centre, Gallant called for New Brunswick to become “the smart province” and said his government will establish an “education and new economy fund.”
There were few details on how the province plans to invest in post-secondary education and address affordability and accessibility issues. Still, St. Thomas University spokesperson Jeffrey Carleton was encouraged by what he heard.
“He gave a shout out to each of the universities. He mentioned St. Thomas’ relationship with Harvard,” said Carleton. “I think that he recognizes the differentiation in the system that each university has strengths that the other universities don’t.”
According to Carleton, the university will be waiting for the budget to determine its operating grant and what the government will recommend regarding tuition, but he also felt students would be watching closely.
“Students in particular will be interested what the budget says about things related to student debt,” said Carleton. “Like, what can be done to help students who leave university with a significant debt?”
In the months leading up to the budget, the province has held a strategic program review in an effort to find ways to save money. During this time the government had been inconsistent in its message regarding health care and education, the two largest areas of departmental spending. Originally the government said cuts to these problems were off the table. Then as late as last week, the government was making it look like a choice between cuts and tolls. In the end Gallant said his government will increase funding to these departments.
“I’ve made it very clear that our government will not reduce the deficit by slashing into healthcare and education,” said Gallant. “In fact we are going to ensure that we be the government that invests the most in healthcare and the most in education in the history of our province.”
Not everyone was a fan of the direction the government is going in. David Coon, MLA for Fredericton-South, wrote an op-ed prior to the State of the Province criticizing the government tendency to try and balance the budget at all costs.
“Over the past 16 months, the government has focused on balancing the province’s books to the exclusion of almost all else,” wrote Coon. “Prudent management of our books is important, but government is tackling the deficit without much attention to what kind of New Brunswick we want.”
As far as St. Thomas University, it’s hoping to get clarification on its own budget t.
“The rubber hits the road on Tuesday with the release of the provincial budget and from there the universities can go off and make their own budgets,” said Carleton. “Knowing what the operating grants will be.”
While the speech, hosted by the Fredericton Chamber of Commerce, was short on specifics with the budget being released Feb. 2, the premier did give some indication on what the lean budget would look like.
“We have made it very clear that a principle that had to be followed was at about 50 per cent of the money should be found by expenditure reductions and 50 per cent should be found by increasing revenues,” said Gallant. “So we are looking for a balanced approach and I can tell you that the decisions at the end of the day will be about 50/50.”
