The Green Party of New Brunswick is fighting to maintain its footing at the provincial legislature following a decision by the incoming Liberal government that will see the party lose two of its four parliamentary staff. The move, enacted by a legislative committee controlled by Premier Susan Holt’s Liberals, significantly reduces the Green caucus budget and threatens the party’s recognized status in the legislature.
According to Acadie Nouvelle, Green Party leader David Coon called the cuts “very problematic”, as they come at a time when the party, reduced to two seats in the last election, is already struggling to fulfill its legislative responsibilities.
“We have to work on equal footing with other parties—review bills, propose amendments, bring forward motions, introduce legislation, and participate in committees,” Coon told Acadie Nouvelle. “That will be much harder with just two staff.”
The funding cut means the Greens will no longer be able to afford private translation services for official documents, further complicating their legislative work. The two affected staff members, Jill Mersereau and Lindsay DeMerchant, will lose their jobs at the end of the month.
“Lindsay has worked for me for six and a half years, so this is very difficult,” Coon added.
Liberal Government Defends Cuts
Under the previous budget, the Green Party caucus received $358,000 in funding—$250,000 for the leader’s office and $108,000 based on its former three-seat presence in the legislature. However, following the October 2024 election, which saw the party lose one of its three seats, the Liberal government argues that funding levels should be adjusted accordingly.
Liberal House Leader Marco LeBlanc defended the decision, stating that the Greens were receiving nearly three times more funding per MLA than other parties.
“When we talk about $358,000 for two MLAs, that’s almost three times what other parties receive per member,” LeBlanc told Acadie Nouvelle. “The decision was made to bring things closer to parity and reflect the fact that they lost a seat.”
Coon, however, pointed out that the party’s budget had already been reduced by $25,000 following the election to account for the lost seat.
“That adjustment was fair because Kevin Arseneau is no longer here,” he said. “These new cuts go far beyond that and are very problematic.”
The Green leader also noted that his role as party leader requires additional staff, a responsibility not acknowledged in the funding reduction.
“Mr. LeBlanc thinks we are just MLAs, but in reality, I have responsibilities as party leader that require staff support,” Coon said.
Party Status in Jeopardy
The funding reduction is not the only challenge the Greens are facing. The party’s official status in the legislature is also under review, with the Liberal-controlled legislative committee expected to rule on whether the Greens will continue to be recognized as an official party.
Currently, the rules require a party to have at least five seats or 20% of the vote to be officially recognized. In 2014, then-Liberal Premier Brian Gallant made an exception for the Greens when Coon was their sole MLA.
LeBlanc hinted that the Liberals may lower the threshold to allow the Greens to keep their status, but emphasized the need to follow parliamentary rules.
“Our goal is not to strip the Green Party of its official status but to find a way to ensure the rules are followed,” LeBlanc said.
Coon, however, argues that New Brunswick’s recognition threshold is stricter than in neighboring provinces, calling for a rule change to align with other Maritime legislatures.
“It would make sense to adjust the law to be in line with other legislative assemblies in our region,” he said.
As the Green Party faces cuts in funding, staffing, and possibly its official status, its ability to function effectively in the legislature remains in question. With Premier Holt’s government holding a majority on the committee overseeing these decisions, the Greens may soon find themselves with even fewer resources to advance their agenda.
