TERMS OF REFERENCE: Executive SummaryNew Brunswick’s K-12 education system requires urgent reform. Despite significant public investment, student outcomes remain below national and international benchmarks. Academic standards have eroded, standardized evaluations have been removed, and classroom discipline and support services have weakened. These trends have resulted in both declining excellence and widening equity gaps, particularly in […]
Are New Brunswickers at risk of losing their private property?
Over the past three months, several articles have addressed the issue of aboriginal title to privately held land in New Brunswick. By way of background, Wolastogey and Mi’kmaqFirst Nations filed legal actions seeking Aboriginal title over 4.1 million hectares of land, including both crown and privately owned land in New Brunswick. They also assert ownership […]
Daryl Branscombe wins intervenor status at New Brunswick’s Court of Appeal
New Brunswick has just revisited the parable of Hans Brinker—the plucky Dutch boy in wooden shoes who, by thrusting a finger into a leaking dike, held back a flood and saved his town. This time, it was Daryl Branscombe, a private citizen in sensible footwear, who came to the rescue. After Susan Holt’s Liberals withdrew […]
It’s time to push for self-sufficiency
The tariffs on Canadian imports imposed by Donald Trump and the United States have been enacted. These measures mark the beginning of a trade conflict with an uncertain resolution timeline. The Canadian economy, including New Brunswick, is expected to be significantly impacted. Approximately 2.5 million Canadian jobs may be affected, with nearly 40,000 of those […]
Private citizen joins case on title claim
A retired businessman who says the Holt Liberal government has abandoned private citizens in a landmark case to decide Aboriginal title has convinced New Brunswick’s highest court to let him take part in the proceedings. Daryl Branscombe, who owns EMS Enterprises Inc., a real estate holding company, petitioned the New Brunswick Court of Appeal when […]