The Political Panel

Cannabis will be legalized on Oct. 17 and New Brunswickers will be able to go into a government-run store and purchase it on Wednesday. How is New Brunswick getting ready for the new reality of legalized cannabis? Liberal Cathy Rogers, Ross Wetmore of the Progressive Conservatives, Michelle Conroy of the People's Alliance and Megan Mitton of the Greens joined the CBC Political Panel.

The CBC New Brunswick Political Panel is back with the first podcast since the minority government was elected on Sept. 24. CBC host Terry Seguin interviews Liberal Jean-Claude D'Amour, PC Dominic Cardy and Green Kevin Arsenault to discuss the election, life in a minority government and the uncertainty surrounding the next government

This week the panel debates whether New Brunswick needs an independent patient advocate. A group who has the ability to investigate complaints from New Brunswickers about the treatment they get from people working in the healthcare system. Liberal Benoît Bourque, Progressive Conservative Jeff Car, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and the People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin.

The province's first-quarter budget results were released this week showing the debt is growing. It's the final set of budget numbers before the election campaign starts next month. Liberal cabinet minister Roger Melanson, PC Leader Blaine Higgs, Green Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenize and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the weekly political panel.

Provinces are loosening the rules on how much alcohol individuals can bring across provincial borders. This comes after New Brunswick challenged the so-called free-the-beer case all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. Liberal Roger Melanson, Progressive Conservative Jeff Carr, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the panel to discuss what the changes proposed by premiers could mean to Canadians.

Premier Brian Gallant and his cabinet ministers have been appearing across the province, making an array of government announcements. The premier has said there is no connection between these announcements and the upcoming election. But Gallant's political opponents don't agree. Liberal Roger Melanson, Progressive Conservative candidate Dominic Cardy, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the panel.

A national union is criticizing an agreement with the New Brunswick government and Medavie Health Services that prohibits workers from bring issues with the service to the media. Health Minister Benoit Bourque is defending the restriction being put on employees. PC MLA Carl Urquhart, Green Party candidate Marilyn Merritt-Gray and NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie are saying the provision is unacceptable, considering public funds are paying for the service.

Auditor General Kim MacPherson's latest report is raising questions about the performance of WorkSafe NB. Opposition parties are calling for WorkSafe NB to do its work as an independent board and allow the focus to be returned to helping injured workers. Liberal Roger Melanson, PC Ernie Steeves, NDP Leader Jennifer MacKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the political panel.

Auditor General Kim MacPherson is growing impatient with the province's bleak debt picture. Liberal cabinet minister Roger Melanson, PC Leader Blaine Higgs, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP candidate Jean-Maurice Landry and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the weekly panel.

A group of Fredericton doctors is sounding the alarm about the state of public health in New Brunswick ahead of September's provincial election. Liberal Health Minister Benoit Bourque, PC MLA Brian Macdonald, Green Leader David Coon and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the panel.

The Gallant government has spent fewer sitting days in the legislature than its two predecessors, but does that matter? Would New Brunswickers be better off if politicians sat in the Legislative Assembly more throughout a mandate? Liberal cabinet minister Lisa Harris, PC MLA Bruce Fitch, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin discuss those questions in the CBC Political Panel.

The Gallant government has spent fewer sitting days in the legislature than its two predecessors, but does that matter? Would New Brunswickers be better off if politicians sat in the Legislative Assembly more throughout a mandate? Liberal cabinet minister Lisa Harris, PC MLA Bruce Fitch, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin discuss those questions in the CBC Political Panel.

The University of New Brunswick's recent proposal to hike tuition rates has sparked a debate over what can be done to keep tuition rates affordable. Liberal Roger Melanson, the minister of post-secondary education, PC Brian Macdonald, Green candidate Amanda Wildeman and NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie joined the weekly panel.

New Brunswick is still cleaning up from the destructive 2018 flood. Liberal Bill Fraser, PC Leader Blaine Higgs, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin discuss the lessons that can be learned from the 2018 flood. The political panel discusses flood compensation and whether the province was prepared for the disaster.

The contentious shale gas issue was reopened when PC Leader Blaine Higgs said he'd lift the moratorium in sections of the province. Should the shale gas debate be revisited? Liberal Serge Rousselle, Progressive Conservative MLA Jeff Carr, Green Party candidate Megan Mitton, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin join the CBC Political Panel.

The decision to twin a section of Route 11 is again raising questions about whether politics influences decisions about roadwork in New Brunswick. Liberal Bill Fraser, the transportation minister, Progressive Conservative Jeff Carr, Green Party candidate Marilyn Merritt-Gray, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People’s Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the weekly panel.

As the Liberals slowly roll out their five-year nursing home plan, opposition parties are left with more questions than answers about the overall vision. Liberal cabinet minister Lisa Harris, PC MLA Brian Macdonald, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin join the weekly CBC New Brunswick Political Panel.

The Political Panel discuss the fallout from the allegations of harassment against Speaker Chris Collins. Liberal Serge Rousselle, PC Ted Flemming, Green Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austen joined the weekly panel.

The Political Panel debated whether stronger legislation for MLAs was needed after the release of Integrity Commissioner Alexandre Deschênes's annual report. Liberal cabinet minister Serge Rousselle, PC MLA Sherry Wilson, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the debate.

The Political Panel debated the issues facing rural New Brunswickers after Hartland residents learned this week the village's only bank was closing. Liberal Andrew Harvey, the province's minister of rural affairs, PC Jeff Carr, Green Party Leader David Coon, NDP Leader Jennifer MacKenzie and People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin joined the panel.