Likely Tantramar PC candidate Bruce Phinney

Although he hasn’t been officially nominated yet, Tantramar Councillor Bruce Phinney has agreed to run for the Progressive Conservatives in this fall’s provincial election.

“I look at this at my age as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Phinney told reporters Wednesday outside the Sackville Legion where the PCs had scheduled the founding meeting of their new Tantramar riding association.

“I’m well known. I have been elected for the past 20 years as a councillor. People know where I stand and they know I will stand up and speak out on their behalf,” he said.

Phinney said he met with Premier Higgs in Fredericton for about an hour earlier this month to discuss running for the party and felt he had a lot in common with the PC leader who has been in power since 2018.

“He’s already got a lot of things established,” Phinney said, adding that some issues such as the shortage of family doctors and the lack of affordable housing still need work.

“But if you start putting a Liberal government back in place or a Green Party in place, then you’re going to be starting all over because it’s going to take a while for everybody to get up to speed,” he argued.

He added that if he’s elected, he’ll be able to represent the riding with a seat at the table if the PC government is re-elected.

Phinney pointed out that when he ran as a municipal councillor he never made any promises.

“I can only make one promise and that is to do the best job I can.”

When asked about the Higgs government’s controversial educational Policy 713, Phinney said he isn’t really sure what it’s about.

“It’s something I should have asked the premier when I was up there and I didn’t,” he said, adding he would be seeking clarification from party officials.

When asked if students under 16 should have the right to choose their own names and pronouns for use at school, Phinney said no because they’re not mature enough.

“I truly believe that decision should be made between the child and the parents and then they go to the teacher and explain to them exactly how they wish to have their child addressed.”

Meantime, although Phinney appears to have been selected to run as Tantramar PC candidate, party official Marc LeBlanc says his candidacy must still be confirmed at a local nominating convention to be held at a later date.

PC regional volunteer Marc LeBlanc with prospective PC candidate Bruce Phinney