The Office" Chronicles: A Lesson in Balance

Every morning at 8:00 am sharp, Kimmy and I head to "the office"—which is just a fancy name for our favorite corner table, number 14, at McDonald’s in the north end of Saint John. Once armed with our coffee or tea, we settle in and get to the real work: solving the world's problems. Or, at the very least, discussing politics, local issues, and life.

Now, don’t let our small crew of seniors fool you—we’re a colorful, eclectic bunch with some serious life experience. Take Kimmy, for instance. She’s spent more time on the Concorde jet than most people have on any plane. A former international model who’s lived and worked in places like New York, Miami and Belair California ?(where her neighbors were Ed Asner and Farrah Fawcett), she now spends her days giving back, teaching art to underprivileged kids and helping seniors. Trust me, she’s tried and failed to make the men in our group a little more "sensitive."

Then there's Paul. If there’s a rebel to fight or a cause to join, Paul’s been there. From battling guerrillas in Colombia with the U.S. Navy to peacekeeping with the UN in Lebanon, to his stint with the RCMP in the forensic division and pulling bodies from the harbour under the MacKay Bridge, Paul’s been through it all. He’s even taken on the Taliban in Afghanistan. If bravery had a face, it’d probably look like Paul’s. He claims he was born, with a genetic defect, ?without the ability to feel fear—go figure.

Jon, on the other hand, is the heart of the group. A retired schoolteacher, he used to pile underprivileged kids into his van, take them canoeing, and bring home gold and silver medals. His attitude is simple: "Can’t" is not in his dictionary, and his personal collection of gold and silver medals from around the world proves it. Not bad for someone in his 80s.

Then there's me, Herb—just your average guy who failed English in school but ended up with a career in the Royal Canadian Air Force and later founded my own IT company. I also spent five years writing an opinion column called "The Silent Majority." Not bad for a guy who started out with a shovel and failed english.

Finally, there's George—quiet, level-headed, and practical. He’s been swinging a hammer since he was 12, and if you need something built right, George is your man.

What do all of us have in common? Well, besides solving world problems over coffee, we have an appreciation for balance. And speaking of balance, let’s talk about Blaine Higgs. Balancing a provincial budget isn’t as easy as balancing a coffee cup on its rim—trust me, I’ve tried—but Higgs has managed to do it. He inherited a province drowning in debt, thanks to the Gallant Liberals (and Susan Holt, the economic advisor behind it all). In 2018, our debt was $14.5 billion, with interest payments of $650 million a year. But Higgs? He’s been working that balance act like a pro.

Susan Holt now promises to balance the budget if she’s elected. Call me skeptical, but I think that’s about as likely as me selling someone a bridge in New York. Real cheap.

At the end of the day, Higgs isn’t perfect—none of us are—but he’s gotten New Brunswick on the right track. Balancing debt, managing COVID-19, and keeping our credit rating intact? Now that’s an office I can get behind. Some thing to think about