N.B. MLA resigns from Blaine Higgs’ PC cabinet

Gary Crossman, New Brunswick’s minister of environment and climate change, is resigning from Blaine Higgs’ Progressive Conservative cabinet immediately.

In a Facebook post Friday afternoon, the three-term PC MLA for Hampton says “My personal and political beliefs no longer align in many ways with the direction of our party and government.”

Crossman previously indicated he wouldn’t re-offer in the next provincial election, scheduled for Oct. 21. In the Facebook post, Crossman says “I will be resigning from my ministerial position immediately and my MLA position in the few days.”

There’s been no immediate reaction from Premier Blaine Higgs about Crossman’s resignation, and a request for comment to the premier’s office hasn’t been returned.

With Crossman’s resignation, the PCs will have 26 seats when daily legislature sittings resume next month. Other party standings include 16 Liberal seats, three Green Party seats, and one independent seat.

Tory MLA Trevor Holder resigned from Higgs’ cabinet last month and said he wouldn’t be returning to the legislature in May.

This is a developing story, with more to come.

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