FREDERICTON — Susan Holt, New Brunswick's premier-designate, met with her newly elected Liberal team on Thursday and announced their top priorities for the coming weeks. Having already announced a four-person transition team, Holt confirmed that she and the others would be officially sworn in as members of the legislature on Nov. 2.
"This Holt government is going to hit the ground running, and the work has already started," she told a news conference in Fredericton after completing her first face-to-face meeting with the 30 other members of the Liberal caucus. "We're going to lead New Brunswick through the challenges we are facing in health care, in housing, in education." In Monday's provincial election, the Liberals won a convincing majority with 31 of the legislature's 49 seats, while the Progressive Conservatives led by Blaine Higgs won 16 and the Greens held two.
On Thursday, Holt said her government plans to move quickly on several campaign promises, including the provision of financial incentives to nurses. "We don't want to lose another nurse at a time when our health-care system is so fragile," Holt told reporters gathered outside a hotel in downtown Fredericton, her entire caucus standing behind her. She said the Liberals are hoping to implement other commitments before the holiday season, including removing the 10 per cent provincial sales tax from electricity bills, imposing a rent cap and eliminating the gas tax, saving motorists four cents per litre of fuel.
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