FREDERICTON, N.B. – Supporters of the new Liberal leader were targeted by Premier David Alward during a large amount of his speech at the annual meeting of provincial Conservatives Saturday.

While noting he didn’t know Brian Gallant personally, Alward said Gallant’s supporters also backed former premier Shawn Graham, whose leadership saw New Brunswick’s debt grow by billions of dollars.

Because of what the Premier calls “Liberal quick-fix solutions” Alward distanced himself from the idea of working with the Liberals on economic issues; an idea that Gallant had publicly pushed for last week.

The Telegraph Journal reports, the feisty speech concluded by the Premier pushing for focus on the 2014 election as it is no longer a “vague point in the future”.