Susan Holt MLA (born April 22, 1977) is a Canadian politician, who has served as the 35th premier of New Brunswick since November 2, 2024, and has been the leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association since August 6, 2022.[1] She has served as the MLA for Fredericton South-Silverwood since 2024. Previously, she was the MLA for Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore and as the leader of the Opposition from 2023 to 2024.[2] She is the first woman to become premier of New Brunswick.
Susan Holt | |
|---|---|
 Holt in 2024 | |
| 35th Premier of New Brunswick | |
| Assumed office November 2, 2024 | |
| Monarch | Charles III |
| Lieutenant Governor | Brenda Murphy |
| Deputy | René Legacy |
| Preceded by | Blaine Higgs |
| Leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association | |
| Assumed office August 6, 2022 | |
| Preceded by | Roger Melanson (interim) |
| Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick | |
| In office May 9, 2023 – September 19, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Rob McKee |
| Member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick | |
| Assumed office October 21, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Riding established |
| Constituency | Fredericton South-Silverwood |
| In office April 24, 2023 – September 19, 2024 | |
| Preceded by | Denis Landry |
| Succeeded by | Riding abolished |
| Constituency | Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore |
| Personal details | |
| Born | April 22, 1977 |
| Political party | Liberal |
| Spouse | Jon Holt |
| Children | 3 |
| Residence(s) | Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada |
| Alma mater | Queen's University |
Early life and career
editSusan Holt was born on April 22, 1977.[3] She grew up in Fredericton, New Brunswick.[4] She attended Queen's University in Kingston, Ontario, where she graduated with a degree in both Chemistry and Economics.[5]
Prior to entering politics, Holt worked as a human resource manager in Fredericton,[4] where she served as chief growth officer for software testing companies PLATO Testing and PQA,[6] and served as president of the New Brunswick Business Council.[7] In 2015, Holt was appointed by Premier Brian Gallant to serve as chief of business relationships on the New Brunswick Jobs Board secretariat,[8] and simultaneously served as senior economic development advisor to Gallant.[9][10] Holt ran as the Liberal candidate in Fredericton South in the 2018 New Brunswick general election, losing to New Brunswick Green Party leader David Coon.[7] [4]
Political career
editLiberal leadership (2022–present)
editHolt was elected leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association during the August 6, 2022 leadership election on the third ballot, defeating three candidates. As Holt was not a sitting member of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick upon becoming leader of the Liberal Party, Liberal MLA Denis Landry offered in August 2022 to resign his seat so that Holt could run in a by-election.[11] In November 2022, Holt announced that she would accept his offer and run in Landry's riding of Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore. Landry then confirmed that he was resigning the seat.[12] On April 24, 2023, Holt won a by-election in Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore to win a seat in the Legislative Assembly. On May 9, 2023, she became the official opposition leader in New Brunswick.[13]
Premier
editThe Liberals won 31 seats in the 2024 general election, making Holt the premier-designate to succeed Blaine Higgs of the Progressive Conservative Party.[14] She was sworn in along with her cabinet on November 2.
On November 7, 2024, Holt and her government approved changes to Regulation 84-20, repealing a 1984 rule which restricted Medicare funding for surgical abortions performed outside of hospitals.[15][16]
Personal life
editHolt lives with her family in Fredericton.[17] She is married to Jon Holt, and they have three children.[18]
Electoral record
editBathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore
edit| New Brunswick provincial by-election, April 24, 2023: Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore Resignation of Denis Landry to run for mayor of Hautes-Terres | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Susan Holt | 2,343 | 58.85 | -4.91 | ||||
| Green | Serge Brideau | 1,411 | 35.44 | +23.22 | ||||
| New Democratic | Alex White | 227 | 5.70 | |||||
| Total valid votes | 3,981 | 99.30 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 28 | 0.70 | +0.29 | |||||
| Turnout | 4,009 | 37.59 | -23.01 | |||||
| Eligible voters | 10,666 | |||||||
| Liberal hold | Swing | -14.06 | ||||||
| Source: Elections New Brunswick[19] | ||||||||
Fredericton South
edit| 2018 New Brunswick general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Green | David Coon | 4,273 | 56.31 | +25.63 | ||||
| Liberal | Susan Holt | 1,525 | 20.10 | -1.52 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Scott Smith | 1,042 | 13.73 | -12.44 | ||||
| People's Alliance | Bonnie Clark | 616 | 8.12 | -- | ||||
| New Democratic | Chris Durrant | 132 | 1.74 | -18.04 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 7,588 | 100.0 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | ||||||||
| Turnout | ||||||||
| Eligible voters | ||||||||
| Green hold | Swing | +13.6 | ||||||
| Source: Elections New Brunswick[20] | ||||||||
Fredericton South-Silverwood
edit| 2024 New Brunswick general election | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| ** Preliminary results — Not yet official ** | ||||||||
| Party | Candidate | Votes | % | ±% | ||||
| Liberal | Susan Holt | 4,604 | 51.64 | +37.5 | ||||
| Progressive Conservative | Nicolle Carlin | 2,287 | 25.65 | -14.6 | ||||
| Green | Simon Ouellette | 1,860 | 20.86 | -18.0 | ||||
| New Democratic | Nicki Lyons-MacFarlane | 165 | 1.85 | +0.3 | ||||
| Total valid votes | 8,916 | 99.89 | ||||||
| Total rejected ballots | 10 | 0.11 | ||||||
| Turnout | 8,926 | 71.28 | ||||||
| Eligible voters | 11,522 | |||||||
| Liberal notional gain from Progressive Conservative | Swing | +26.1 | ||||||
| Source: Elections New Brunswick[21] | ||||||||
| This district was created by splitting Fredericton South, which elected a Green Party member in the previous election, into two new districts. David Coon was the incumbent from Fredericton South, and will be running in the other district, Fredericton-Lincoln. | ||||||||
References
edit- ^ "Susan Holt elected as New Brunswick Liberal leader". CBC News New Brunswick, August 6, 2022.
- ^ "Susan Holt, première femme à siéger comme cheffe élue des libéraux du N.-B. | Info".
- ^ "A look at Susan Holt, Liberal premier-designate of New Brunswick". CityNews. The Canadian Press. October 22, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
- ^ a b c Llewellyn, Stephen (October 21, 2008). "Province wants to keep and attract people". The Daily Gleaner. p. A1. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
- ^ "The Legislative Library of New Brunswick - Women MLA profile details for - Susan Holt". www1.gnb.ca. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ Leger, Mark (November 8, 2019). "How Indigenous Communities Helped PQA Testing Solve Its Labour Force Shortage". Huddle.Today. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
- ^ a b Jacques Poitras, "Tech executive, former adviser to Brian Gallant running for Liberal leadership". CBC News New Brunswick, February 14, 2022.
- ^ "Premier announces private sector leaders to join Jobs Board secretariat". www1.gnb.ca. February 18, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
- ^ Rudderham, Hannah (August 2, 2022). "Liberal leadership candidate says mandatory duties at hospitals deter doctors". CBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ Mott, Sean (September 10, 2024). "Profile on Liberal leader Susan Holt". CTV News Atlantic. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
- ^ Laura Brown, "Long-time Liberal MLA offers up seat to new Liberal leader Susan Holt". CTV Atlantic, August 7, 2022.
- ^ Rudderham, Hannah (November 14, 2022). "Liberal leader announces plan to run for vacant seat in Bathurst region". CBC News. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
- ^ "Susan Holt wins legislature seat in Liberal byelection sweep". CBC News. April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
- ^ Urquhart, Mia (October 21, 2024). "Susan Holt leads Liberals to majority, Blaine Higgs loses seat". CBC News. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
- ^ Alam, Hina (November 7, 2024). "New Brunswick to allow medicare to pay for abortions outside hospitals". The Globe and Mail. The Canadian Press. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ^ Poitras, Jacques (November 7, 2024). "Holt government repeals ban on funding abortions outside hospitals". CBC News. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
- ^ Rudderham, Hannah (October 5, 2023). "Liberal Leader Susan Holt says she'll run in Fredericton South-Silverwood". CBC News. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ "Member of the Legislative Assembly : Susan Holt - Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick". www.legnb.ca. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
- ^ "Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore, Restigouche-Chaleur & Dieppe By-Elections - April 24, 2023" (PDF). Elections New Brunswick. July 2023.
- ^ Elections New Brunswick (February 22, 2019). "Thirty-Ninth General Election September 24, 2018" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2024.
- ^ Elections New Brunswick (October 21, 2024). "Fourty-first General Election October 21, 2024". Retrieved November 1, 2024.