Blaine Higgs facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Blaine Higgs
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Higgs in 2024
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| 34th Premier of New Brunswick | |
| In office November 9, 2018 – November 2, 2024 |
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| Monarch | |
| Lieutenant Governor | Jocelyne Roy-Vienneau Brenda Murphy |
| Deputy | Robert Gauvin (2018–20) |
| Preceded by | Brian Gallant |
| Succeeded by | Susan Holt |
| Leader of the Opposition (New Brunswick) | |
| In office October 22, 2016 – November 9, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | Bruce Fitch |
| Succeeded by | Brian Gallant |
| Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick | |
| In office October 22, 2016 – October 28, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Bruce Fitch (interim) |
| Succeeded by | Glen Savoie (interim) |
| Minister of Finance | |
| In office October 12, 2010 – October 7, 2014 |
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| Premier | David Alward |
| Preceded by | Greg Byrne |
| Succeeded by | Roger Melanson |
| Member of the New Brunswick Legislative Assembly for Quispamsis |
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| In office September 27, 2010 – September 19, 2024 |
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| Preceded by | Mary Schryer |
| Succeeded by | Aaron Kennedy |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
Blaine Myron Higgs
March 1, 1954 Woodstock, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Political party | Progressive Conservative |
| Other political affiliations |
Confederation of Regions (1989–2002) |
| Spouse | Marcia Higgs |
Blaine Myron Higgs (born March 1, 1954) is a former Canadian politician. He served as the 34th premier of New Brunswick from 2018 to 2024. He was also the leader of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party (PC Party) from 2016 to 2024.
Mr. Higgs studied engineering at the University of New Brunswick. After graduating, he worked for Irving Oil for 33 years. He was first elected to the New Brunswick legislature in 2010. He served as the Minister of Finance from 2010 to 2014.
In the 2018 New Brunswick general election, Mr. Higgs led the Progressive Conservatives to win the most seats. They formed a minority government. In the 2020 New Brunswick general election, his party was re-elected with a majority government.
In the 2024 New Brunswick general election, Mr. Higgs and his party lost their bid for a third term. The Liberals won a majority government. Mr. Higgs also lost his own seat in the area of Quispamsis. This was the first time since 1987 that a sitting New Brunswick Premier lost their own seat. Mr. Higgs resigned as leader of the Progressive Conservative party a week after the election.
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Early Life and Education
Blaine Myron Higgs was born on March 1, 1954, in Woodstock, New Brunswick. His father, Carl, was a customs officer, and his mother, Bertha, was a teacher. He grew up in Forest City, a small community near the Canada–United States border.
He went to a small elementary school where his mother and aunt taught him. Later, he attended Canterbury High School. After high school, Mr. Higgs studied mechanical engineering at the University of New Brunswick (UNB) in Fredericton.
Career at Irving Oil
Mr. Higgs graduated from UNB in 1977 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He started working for Irving Oil the very next week. He worked for the company for 33 years, moving up in his career.
He completed an executive management training program in 1993. He also took finance and leadership courses. Mr. Higgs retired from Irving Oil in 2010. By then, he was the director of logistics and distribution for the company.
Early Political Activities
Mr. Higgs was first involved with the Liberal Association. However, he later joined the Confederation of Regions Party (CoR). This party was known for its focus on certain language policies.
In 1989, Mr. Higgs ran to become the leader of the CoR Party. He spoke about his views on language and government. He also supported an elected Senate and fixed terms for government.
Serving as MLA for Quispamsis
On May 6, 2010, Mr. Higgs began his campaign for the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick. This was for the 2010 New Brunswick general election. He ran for the Progressive Conservative Party in the area of Quispamsis.
During his campaign, he mentioned that property taxes were a big issue in the Kennebecasis Valley. He also spoke about his past views on language policies. He said his views had changed since his time with the CoR Party.
Minister of Finance Role
On October 12, 2010, Mr. Higgs was sworn in as the Minister of Finance. He was also responsible for several other corporations and boards. He served as Minister of Human Resources until October 9, 2012.
During his time as Finance Minister, a decision was made to stop regular payments to pension plans. This later led to pension issues for some union members.
Leading the Progressive Conservative Party
Mr. Higgs represents the area of Quispamsis as a member of the Legislative Assembly. On October 22, 2016, he became the leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick.
In the 2016 Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick leadership election, he won on the third ballot. He defeated former Saint John Mayor Mel Norton.
2018 Provincial Election Outcome
In the 2018 New Brunswick general election, Mr. Higgs and his party won 22 seats. This was more than the 21 seats won by the ruling Liberal Party of New Brunswick. The Liberals tried to stay in power as a minority government.
However, on November 2, 2018, the Progressive Conservatives and the People's Alliance voted against Premier Brian Gallant's Liberal government. The vote of no confidence passed. The Progressive Conservatives then formed the government with support from the People's Alliance.
Premier of New Brunswick (2018–2024)
Mr. Higgs became Premier on November 9, 2018. At 64 years old, he was the oldest person to become Premier in New Brunswick history. In April 2019, he became the oldest Premier ever in the province's history.
Economic Policies
In 2019, Mr. Higgs's government changed some financial aid programs for students. They believed that a tuition tax credit would help more students. This decision was criticized by students across the province.
In 2020, Mr. Higgs decided not to join a federal program for public transit funding. He later said he had misunderstood the program's details. Other smaller provinces did receive money from this program.
Equalization Payments Discussion
In 2018, Mr. Higgs suggested cutting equalization payments. These are payments made to provinces that need more financial support, like New Brunswick. He believed that if the province received less federal money, it might change attitudes about developing natural resources.
Labour Relations
Mr. Higgs's government faced a strike by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) in late 2021. About 20,000 workers in various sectors went on strike for 16 days. On November 14, Mr. Higgs's government reached an agreement with CUPE. The agreement included raising wages for the workers.
First Nations Relations
In 2020, some First Nations chiefs asked the provincial government to investigate systemic racism. This request followed the deaths of Chantel Moore and Rodney Levi. The chiefs later left a meeting with Mr. Higgs because he would not agree to an independent investigation. They said they were "losing faith" in him.
In 2021, the government announced it would hire an independent commissioner to look into systemic racism. Indigenous leaders were disappointed, saying they wanted a public inquiry.
Also in 2021, the provincial government ended tax-sharing agreements with 13 Mi'kmaq and Wolastoqey First Nations without talking to them first.
Later in 2021, after a major land claim was filed by Wolastoqey Chiefs, Mr. Higgs said the claim could affect many landowners. He suggested it might give Indigenous people control of a large part of the province's land. However, the court documents for the claim only named five forestry companies, NB Power, and the federal and provincial governments.
In 2021, the Attorney General sent a memo telling government employees to stop using certain phrases in land acknowledgements. This policy caused disagreement, even within the Premier's own cabinet.
COVID-19 Pandemic Response
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Mr. Higgs led the provincial government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic in New Brunswick. On March 19, 2020, the government declared a state of emergency. Mr. Higgs himself tested positive for COVID-19 on December 31, 2021.
2020 Re-election Campaign
Mr. Higgs argued that stable government was important for dealing with the COVID-19 pandemic and helping the economy recover. A snap election was called on August 17, 2020. Mr. Higgs and the Progressive Conservatives were re-elected with a majority government in the 2020 New Brunswick general election on September 14.
Fiscal Management
Mr. Higgs's government has been praised for managing the province's money well. They have often had budget surpluses and reduced the provincial debt. The debt had been increasing since 2007-2008. By March 31, 2024, the provincial debt was down to $11.8 billion from $13.9 billion in 2018.
Credit rating agencies like Moody's Ratings and S&P Global Ratings have improved New Brunswick's credit rating. This shows that they see the province as financially strong. In 2022, the Fraser Institute ranked Mr. Higgs first among Canadian premiers for how well his province managed its money.
While Mr. Higgs's government has had surpluses, some opposition parties have criticized them. The Liberals and Greens have argued that the government is not spending enough on important public services. These include health care, education, and housing.
2023 Leadership Challenges
In May 2023, the Department of Education announced a review of a policy. Mr. Higgs supported the review, saying parents should be aware of certain changes regarding their children at school. The policy was updated on June 8, 2023.
Some groups criticized the changes to the policy. However, polls showed that many Canadians supported policies that require schools to inform parents about their child's desire to change gender or use new gender pronouns.
On June 15, Minister of Social Development Dorothy Shephard resigned from the cabinet. She said her resignation was due to frustration with Mr. Higgs's leadership style.
Throughout early 2024, several Progressive Conservative politicians announced they would not run for re-election or were resigning. Some of them said the party had changed under Mr. Higgs's leadership.
Images for kids
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Higgs in 2024
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Higgs making a COVID-19 announcement in March 2020
