Holt’s majority win in New Brunswick a monumental maritime moment

After a 33-day election campaign, New Brunswickers have elected a majority government led by Susan Holt of the provincial Liberal Party to be their next premier. It is a historic moment in the Maritime province, as Holt becomes the first woman premier in New Brunswick’s history. Her win deprives outgoing Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs of a third mandate, as he would have been the first New Brunswick premier to do so since 1995. Holt’s Liberals will govern with a majority of 31 seats, while the PCs only garnered 16 seats, and David Coon’s Green Party held onto two seats. Higgs has lost his seat in Quispamsis, along with several incumbent PC cabinet ministers. The path to victory This election was largely a tale of two different approaches to the campaign. On one hand, Higgs and the PCs ran on a two-per-cent cut to the HST and on their record of fiscal management, whereas the Liberals brought forward numerous policy proposals to address health-care access, cost of living, and the housing crisis. Meanwhile, the Green Party remained the left-wing alternative for voters, trying to hold on to its three seats in the legislature. Dan Arnold—the former director of research and advertising for Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and current chief Strategy officer at Pollara Strategic Insights—suggests that the Holt campaign focused on top-of-mind issues for New Brunswickers, while Higgs and the PCs veered too far to the right. “All governments in the western world are facing a change in sentiment with the public, and Higgs compounded the situation by appearing to be focused on fringe issues rather than on the things frustrating New Brunswickers: the rising cost of living and a broken health care system,” Arnold said. “While Higgs' dalliance with things like Policy 713 might have polled well in isolation, it created a sense his government wasn't focused on the issues that mattered.”Arnold commented on the strength of Holt’s campaign framing, responding "to Higgs with a 'focused-on-you theme,' and daily announcements on health care and affordability.” While the PCs tried to tarnish Holt by tying the provincial Liberals to their federal counterparts, Arnold pointed out that their "Team Holt" branding helped distance them from Trudeau, while also contrasting with Higgs' "lone wolf" leadership style. Shattering the glass ceiling Holt’s historic accomplishment—achieved during Women’s History Month—comes almost 57 years to the day after my grandmother, Brenda Robertson, became the first female MLA to be elected in New Brunswick, and 54 years after she became the province's first female cabinet minister. Brenda Robertson, the first woman elected in New Brunswick in 1967—pictured here in her first MLA portrait—and became the province’s first female cabinet minister in 1970. Photograph courtesy of Wil Robertson Chi Nguyen, the executive director of Equal Voice, remarked on the significance of Holt’s victory: “Seeing a historic first in New Brunswick—a first woman premier—is an astounding milestone. It will absolutely begin to change the face of politics—and more and more young women and gender-diverse people will see that they can step up to serve the public in these ways.” Nguyen points out, however, that this historic moment “must be part of ongoing work to see more women running, winning, and effectively leading. A great, though overdue achievement: Ms. Holt will be joining the ranks of a club that needs many many more members!” Cathy Rogers, New Brunswick's first female finance minister, echoed Nguyen’s comments, stating that she is “beyond thrilled that Susan Holt will make history as our first woman premier. It is far past due. But I am even more excited because of who she is and the quality of the team she has been able to attract. I am once again hopeful in my beloved province.” What’s next? The New Brunswick Liberals have formed government for the first time since Brian Gallant’s 2014 victory. In the coming weeks, Holt and her team will form a new cabinet from their experienced slate of candidates. The question now is how the Liberals will address the crises facing the province, and if Holt and her new premier’s office can manage a fresh, large, ambitious caucus. Only time will tell, but for now it is a new dawn in my home province of New Brunswick. Wil Robertson is an associate at StrategyCorp Inc., an integrated public affairs firm based in Toronto, Ont. Originally from Moncton, N.B., his grandmother, Brenda Robertson, was the first woman elected in NB in 1967, and became the province’s first female cabinet minister in 1970. The Hill Times

Holt’s majority win in New Brunswick a monumental maritime moment

The question now is how the Liberals will address the crises facing the province, and if the new premier can manage a fresh, large, ambitious caucus.

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Holt’s majority win in New Brunswick a monumental maritime moment

The question now is how the Liberals will address the crises facing the province, and if the new premier can manage a fresh, large, ambitious caucus.

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