June 6, 2025
Green MLAs Make a Difference in 1st Session of 61st Legislature
FREDERICTON – The first session of 61st Legislature wraps up this week, with a number of important initiatives championed by Green Party Leader David Coon and Green Party House Leader Megan Mitton moving forward.
Last week Coon received unanimous support to send Bill 19, An Act Respecting the Right to a Healthy Environment, to the next stage, where it will go to the Law Amendment Committee for public consultation, including with First Nations, in September.
“Now that MLAs see the potential for New Brunswickers to have the right to a healthy environment, the hard work begins,” said Coon. “Its now incumbent upon Minister Rob McKee, the Chair of the Law Amendments Committee, to schedule public hearings to keep this bill moving forward.”
This session also saw significant progress on a number of other initiatives that Mitton and Coon have been championing:
- Mitton received unanimous support for an amendment she proposed to make free 90-day radon gas test kits accessible to the public.
- A permanent rent cap was instituted by the government in February, implementing a policy first proposed in the Legislature in Coon’s bill to amend the Residential Tenancies Act in 2018.
- A Standing Committee on Official Languages was created, implementing a proposal first championed in the Legislature by former Green MLA Kevin Arseneau in 2019.
- A permanent Legislative calendar was adopted by the Legislative Assembly, implementing an all-party committee proposal from 2024. Coon and Mitton have consistently spoken on every adjournment motion for years to call for the need for a permanent calendar.
“One of the benefits of having Green MLAs in the Legislature is that Greens work across party lines with other MLAs to get things done,” said Mitton. “Even with a small caucus of two members, David and I have achieved significant progress on our priorities during this legislative session.”
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