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Susan Holt

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Susan Holt
Susan Holt in 2024
Holt in 2024
35th Premier of New Brunswick
Assumed office
November 2, 2024
MonarchCharles III
Lieutenant GovernorBrenda Murphy
DeputyRené Legacy
Preceded byBlaine Higgs
Leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Association
Assumed office
August 6, 2022
Preceded byRoger Melanson (interim)
Leader of the Opposition of New Brunswick
In office
May 9, 2023 – September 19, 2024
Preceded byRob McKee
Member of the
Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
Assumed office
October 21, 2024
Preceded byRiding established
ConstituencyFredericton South-Silverwood
In office
April 24, 2023 – September 19, 2024
Preceded byDenis Landry
Succeeded byRiding abolished
ConstituencyBathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore
Personal details
Born (1977-04-22) April 22, 1977 (age 47)
Political partyLiberal
SpouseJon Holt
Children3
Residence(s)Fredericton, New Brunswick, Canada
Alma materQueen's University

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.

Early life and career

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Susan 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

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Liberal leadership (2022–present)

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Holt 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

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The 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

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Holt lives with her family in Fredericton.[17] She is married to Jon Holt, and they have three children.[18]

Electoral record

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Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore

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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

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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

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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

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  1. ^ "Susan Holt elected as New Brunswick Liberal leader". CBC News New Brunswick, August 6, 2022.
  2. ^ "Susan Holt, première femme à siéger comme cheffe élue des libéraux du N.-B. | Info".
  3. ^ "A look at Susan Holt, Liberal premier-designate of New Brunswick". CityNews. The Canadian Press. October 22, 2024. Retrieved October 23, 2024.
  4. ^ a b c Llewellyn, Stephen (October 21, 2008). "Province wants to keep and attract people". The Daily Gleaner. p. A1. Retrieved August 31, 2024.
  5. ^ "The Legislative Library of New Brunswick - Women MLA profile details for - Susan Holt". www1.gnb.ca. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  6. ^ Leger, Mark (November 8, 2019). "How Indigenous Communities Helped PQA Testing Solve Its Labour Force Shortage". Huddle.Today. Retrieved November 29, 2022.
  7. ^ a b Jacques Poitras, "Tech executive, former adviser to Brian Gallant running for Liberal leadership". CBC News New Brunswick, February 14, 2022.
  8. ^ "Premier announces private sector leaders to join Jobs Board secretariat". www1.gnb.ca. February 18, 2015. Retrieved August 3, 2024.
  9. ^ Rudderham, Hannah (August 2, 2022). "Liberal leadership candidate says mandatory duties at hospitals deter doctors". CBC News. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  10. ^ Mott, Sean (September 10, 2024). "Profile on Liberal leader Susan Holt". CTV News Atlantic. Retrieved September 25, 2024.
  11. ^ Laura Brown, "Long-time Liberal MLA offers up seat to new Liberal leader Susan Holt". CTV Atlantic, August 7, 2022.
  12. ^ Rudderham, Hannah (November 14, 2022). "Liberal leader announces plan to run for vacant seat in Bathurst region". CBC News. Retrieved November 14, 2022.
  13. ^ "Susan Holt wins legislature seat in Liberal byelection sweep". CBC News. April 24, 2023. Retrieved April 24, 2023.
  14. ^ Urquhart, Mia (October 21, 2024). "Susan Holt leads Liberals to majority, Blaine Higgs loses seat". CBC News. Retrieved October 21, 2024.
  15. ^ 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.
  16. ^ Poitras, Jacques (November 7, 2024). "Holt government repeals ban on funding abortions outside hospitals". CBC News. Retrieved November 9, 2024.
  17. ^ Rudderham, Hannah (October 5, 2023). "Liberal Leader Susan Holt says she'll run in Fredericton South-Silverwood". CBC News. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  18. ^ "Member of the Legislative Assembly : Susan Holt - Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick". www.legnb.ca. Retrieved April 20, 2024.
  19. ^ "Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore, Restigouche-Chaleur & Dieppe By-Elections - April 24, 2023" (PDF). Elections New Brunswick. July 2023.
  20. ^ Elections New Brunswick (February 22, 2019). "Thirty-Ninth General Election September 24, 2018" (PDF). Retrieved October 1, 2024.
  21. ^ Elections New Brunswick (October 21, 2024). "Fourty-first General Election October 21, 2024". Retrieved November 1, 2024.