New Brunswick.

AuthorTaylor-Myles, Diane
PositionParliament

Since the adjournment of the Third Session of the Fifty-Fifth Legislature of New Brunswick on December 23, 2005, Premier Bernard Lord, shuffled his Cabinet, an Electoral Boundaries and Representation Commission completed its mandate and released a final report, the House resumed to elect a new Speaker shortly before the budget was brought down, and a special channel began broadcasting gavel-to-gavel coverage of legislative proceedings, giving New Brunswickers access to the political process and their elected officials.

As a result of Premier Lord's restructuring of government following a "Five in Five" initiative announced a few days earlier in the state of the province address, a number of new Ministers were sworn in as Members of the Executive Council on February 14:

* Claude Williams, MLA for Kent South, Minister of Education

* Jody Carr, MLA for Oromocto-Gagetown, Minister of Post-Secondary Education and Training

* Kirk MacDonald, MLA for Mactaquac, Minister of Business New Brunswick

* Brenda Fowlie, MLA for Kennebecasis, Minister of Energy

* Bev Harrison, MLA for Hampton-Belleisle, Minister of Supply and Services and Government House Leader

Retiring to the backbench were: Elvy Robichaud, MLA for Tracadie-Sheila, Peter Mesheau, MLA for Tantramar and Margaret-Ann Blaney, MLA for Saint John-Kings.

The Final Report of the Electoral Boundaries and Representation Commission saw the boundaries of 20 of the province's 55 electoral districts revised and the names of nine electoral districts changed as a result of public input. Major changes were made in the Moncton-Dieppe area, and in western New Brunswick in the electoral districts of York, Woodstock, Carleton, and Victoria-Tobique. The commission, which began its work last August, released a preliminary report on November 21, 2005, followed by the final report on February 20, 2006.

On February 21, Michael Malley, MLA for Miramichi-Bay du Vin and former Government Whip, announced his intention to sit as an Independent Member, bringing the standings in the House on that date to Progressive Conservatives, 27; Liberals, 26; and Independents, 2.

On March 23, Deputy Speakers Cy (Richard) LeBlanc, MLA for Dieppe-Memramcook and John Betts, MLA for Moncton Crescent, announced the launch of a New Brunswick parliamentary channel dedicated to broadcasting proceedings to keep the public informed of the important work of the House and the province's elected representatives. The Legislature acquired a...

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