PCs, Liberals spar over new Moncton school

Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Claude Williams faced another barrage of criticism on Thursday over the Progressive Conservative governments decision to build a new Moncton high school on the outskirts of the city.

The opening of the new school, which will replace the old Moncton High School, is being delayed until 2014 instead of 2013. The total cost of the school project is now expected to come in at $48 million up from $45 million.

The Opposition Liberals devoted the majority of question period on Thursday to slamming the provincial government on various aspects of the Moncton High controversy.

Opposition Leader Victor Boudreau demanded that Williams reveal why he hasn't disclosed all of the sites he considered before announcing the new school's location.

"The premier says that the buck stops with him on consultation. Those were his words. Yet, the people of Moncton were very clearly not consulted on this issue. That is another broken promise of this premier," Boudreau said.

"Maybe the premier could tell us this, which is something that the people of greater Moncton want to know: What other sites were considered for the new anglophone high school in Moncton?"

Many Moncton residents have opposed the provincial governments decision to locate the new school in the Royal Oaks subdivision.

Community groups have requested the school be located closer to the citys downtown.

The provincial government says it scouted more than 20 potential sites before choosing Royal Oaks.

Williams continued to defend the provincial governments decision on where the new school will be constructed.

The infrastructure minister, however, said he could not reveal all of the other locations that were considered by the government for privacy reasons.

"He's trying to say that we didn't follow the process we didn't follow the right procedure we didn't do due diligence and we followed the process the same process that was there when you chose your four schools," he said.

Questions raised over 2013 school year

The Liberals also questioned the provincial government over what contingency plans were in place to deal with students in 2013.

Moncton East Liberal MLA Chris Collins said if the school project is being delayed a year thenMoncton residents want to know where those students will be educated.

"Can the minister or the minister of education tell us where the Moncton High students will go for that year? Will they be dispersed around the city again, or will they stay at Moncton High School? Is it a safe environment? Do they know at all what they are going to do at this point?" Collins said.

The provincial government invested $2 million in fixing parts of Moncton High so students could return to the school after it had been closed due to health and safety concerns.

The province's infrastructure minister said the government is still examining its options.

Liberal decisions attacked

The Tories did use question period to go on the offensive against the Liberals.

Williams fired back at the Liberals, accusing them of locating costly infrastructure projects in ridings of Liberal members when they were in government.

"I will let [Boudreau] stand up next and explain how he selected the site for the Shediac jail, moving the Moncton Detention Centre from Moncton to Shediac," Williams said.

"Maybe you could explain how the selection of the site for the Eleanor Graham school went from Richibucto to Rexton. How did you proceed with the consultations, the process, and the criteria?"

Rexton is in the riding of Kent, which is represented by former premier Shawn Graham.