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Q&A’s with Blaine Higgs, Premier of New Brunswick

By: Peter Szecsodi, Publisher, Canadian Building Trades Magazine

Peter: The idea in a little community is what I've seen in my community
Premier, thank you very much for taking this opportunity out with is what's happening all across New Brunswick, and I see rural
us on behalf of the Canada's Building Trade Unions. It's been areas disappearing. That adds to my angst about how New
mentioned that you're the most mature premier, age wise, and Brunswick is changing but how our country is changing in many
the fourth most popular in Canada. With age often comes ways because the urban rush and people moving out of the rural.
experience and common sense. Do you think common sense is
In that sense, it's a concern of what I've seen personally, of what
something that is missing in today's political environment?
I see across the province. The other side of it is what ... In a
Premier Higgs: community where you don't have all the resources or the shopping
Yes, indeed. I think common sense and focus of purpose. What is not next door or if you need to fix something you fix it yourself
we see as people, many today seem to be focused on politics as because if it breaks down you can't get it anywhere. I grew up
a career. I had a career and I guess that's why I'm this mature in working and learning, my dad did a lot of his own plumbing and
terms of your opening comments. The concept for me was, I he taught me how to do much of the stuff that I could do on my
learned a lot during my career and I wanted to put that in the camp. You learn to be resourceful and not find excuses why
service for the province. I feel that that's the goal I have here now something can't be done, you just find a way to do it because it's
and I feel that the opportunity is real and I often tap into things I the necessity in the country and I think basically necessity in the
learned over the many years in the private sector working with role I'm in today.
people to get results and focusing on action items or big picture
Peter:
and not getting hung up on the daily distractions.
You married your high school sweetheart and you have what's
Peter: been described as a very successful marriage and happy family.
You grew up in a very small community in New Brunswick. What You have four daughters. Much is being made of the recent all-
are your thoughts on how this has influenced the way you do male council of premiers photo. What do you think needs to be
politics? done to attract and encourage more women to enter politics?
Premier Higgs: Premier Higgs:
Considering I didn't have a lot of neighbors, but the ones you had Politicians have to behave better. I think going with the comment
you had to certainly appreciate them. It's a small community, earlier about the politicians, it's become a career for many. This
today, it has a population of eight. was never an aspiration for me, it became something that I guess
happened after being in government and seeing the opportunity.

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