FREDERICTON — New Brunswick opposition leaders are denouncing the premier’s cross-country travel to raise campaign funds and promising to ban political donations from outside the province if they win the election this fall.

Premier Blaine Higgs this week held fundraisers for his Progressive Conservatives in British Columbia and Alberta and has one scheduled next month in Ontario.

New Brunswick election law allows campaign contributions of up to $3,000 annually from people whether they live in the province or outside, but Liberal Leader Susan Holt says the practice should be stopped.

She says the fact that Higgs has to go west to raise money suggests that he doesn’t have support in New Brunswick.

Green Leader David Coon also says his party would ban out-of-province fundraising, arguing that it creates an uneven playing field.

Steve Outhouse, manager of the PC’s 2024 campaign, says Higgs abides by all election rules and pointed out that Holt received out-of-province donations for her leadership campaign in 2022.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 19, 2024.

The Canadian Press