New Democratic Leader skips throne speech, speaks to crowd outside Legislature

November 17, 2008

Fredericton, NB- On Tuesday during the opening of the Legislative Assembly in Fredericton, New Democratic Party Leader Roger Duguay stood in solidarity with hundreds of workers from across the province who were voicing their dissent over Shawn Graham’s privatization agenda.  In Duguay’s speech in front of the Legislature, he strongly critiqued the current Liberal government’s plans for privatization in New Brunswick.  “The people of New Brunswick say no to privatization, the NDP says no to privatization, and I stand in solidarity with the people of New Brunswick!” stated Duguay.

“The current Liberal agenda of privatization and self-sufficiency has nothing to do with improving the lives of New Brunswickers.  It is an agenda that improves the lives of an elite few, while placing the burden on everyone else,” stated Duguay. 

Duguay proposed the implementation of “public solutions to fix infrastructure and services,” such as introducing initiatives for co-operative enterprises, that put people at the centre of their own businesses. 

Additionally, Duguay believes that New Brunswickers, “Need to change the way we view poverty, a New Democratic government would promote an approach to ending poverty, not just reducing it.” 

Throughout his address, Duguay presented the general theme that a strong economy is based on the strength of the people, not the strength of corporations.