Mask rules, ban on public visits stay in place at N.B. Legislature

Just about everyone in New Brunswick is more exposed to COVID-19 this week now that all health restrictions have ended, but the province's 49 MLAs will continue to protect themselves from the virus — and from the public — for a while longer.

The all-party committee that oversees the Legislative Assembly has voted to keep ordinary citizens from entering the building to watch proceedings when the current session resumes next week.

MLAs will also be required to keep wearing masks on the floor of the chamber except when they're speaking, according to People's Alliance Leader Kris Austin.

The public hasn't been allowed in the building to follow debates since the initial provincewide lockdown in March 2020, though there have been exceptions for people with meetings or appointments. 

So while schoolchildren, restaurant customers, concert-goers, mall shoppers and others are free of restrictions, and less protected, MLAs and legislative staff will maintain rules and continue to enjoy relative safety from the airborne virus as a result.

"It sets a very bad example, and that's why I felt a need to make it known what my position is and that I disagree with this decision," Austin said in revealing the behind-closed-doors decision.

He said if restrictions have ended elsewhere, they should also end at the legislature so that the public can enter the building and watch debates.

"Everybody else, private and public sector, are getting back to some sense of normal and here we are as elected officials doing the opposite." 

Green Party House leader Kevin Arseneau said the decision will be reevaluated after two weeks of sittings, adding that reopening to the public is "top of mind" for all MLAs.

"In a way, this is a group of individual members telling the premier and cabinet that opening everything up too quickly and not phasing it in was not the responsible thing to do," he added.

Liberal Leader Roger Melanson said keeping the public out is required because of the way mask rules are staying in place for MLAs.

Members on the floor will have to be masked. If they choose not to wear a mask, they have to sit upstairs in the public gallery, a space that's been used by some MLAs and ministers over the last two years to allow for distancing.

Melanson compared it to any employer having the freedom to voluntarily keep some protections in place.

"The committee managing the legislature assembly made a decision within the legislative assembly," he said.