Susan Holt becomes N.B.’s first woman premier as new Liberal government sworn in

FREDERICTON — New Brunswick’s newly elected Liberal government officially took power on Sunday at a ceremony that saw the party’s leader become the first woman to serve as premier in the province’s history.

Susan Holt and 18 cabinet ministers were officially sworn in at an afternoon ceremony in Fredericton lead by Lt.-Gov. Brenda Murphy.

Members of the new cabinet include Finance Minister and Deputy Premier René Legacy, Health Minister John Dornan, Education Minister Claire Johnson and Justice Minister Rob McKee.

Francine Landry, member for Madawaska Les Lacs-Edmundston, was sworn in as the first francophone female Speaker of the legislative assembly. Holt, who speaks both English and French, will also act as the province’s minister responsible for official languages.

In her first address as premier, Holt thanked New Brunswickers in both languages for putting their trust in her party and promised to “lead with respect, collaboration and transparency.”

“We will be open, we will get out of the backrooms and into communities around the province. New Brunswickers deserve to know the work that is happening on their behalf and to be able to hold us accountable for the commitments we’ve made,” she said.

“We can be fiscally responsible, and we can ensure that New Brunswickers have access to the services they need and deserve,” Holt said, emphasizing health care, housing and education as critical issues her government plans to address.

Holt, who was joined at the ceremony by her husband and three young daughters, also thanked all the female MLAs elected to the legislative assembly before her.

Holt’s Liberals unseated former Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs in last month’s provincial election, winning 31 seats in the 49-seat legislature and securing a majority mandate. The Progressive Conservatives now hold 16 seats, while the Green Party has two.

Holt, a relative newcomer to the province’s political scene, previously worked as a business advocate and public servant. She won the party’s leadership race in 2022 and was elected to the legislature in an April 2023 byelection.

The Liberals made more than 100 promises during last month’s election campaign, including implementing rent control, increasing access to health services and building more housing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Nov. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press