Incoming N.B. premier says tax break, rent cap will be first moves
Health care is top priority but will take more time, says Susan Holt
New Brunswick's premier designate says two of her first orders of business will be taking the 10 per cent provincial tax off of power bills and putting a cap on rent increases to deliver relief "quite quickly" to people who are struggling to make ends meet.
Speaking to CBC News on Tuesday after her New Brunswick Liberal Party won a decisive electoral victory over the Progressive Conservatives led by Blaine Higgs, Susan Holt said her government will focus on fiscally responsible solutions to tackle issues like cost-of-living challenges, the crisis in education and health-care access.
Holt said health care was the top issue she heard about during the campaign.
The first thing she plans to change on that front is the pay model for primary-care providers.
That won't be a one-day job, but early in 2025 community clinics will open and people will come off of waitlists for family doctors, she said.
Beyond access to doctors, hospitals need to run smoothly and seniors need access to proper care at home or in long-term-care facilities, said Holt.
In the longer run, she thinks investments in community clinics will save money in health care.
"Five hundred and fifty seniors living in hospitals could be getting care at home or in long-term care for much less, if we make the investment in health care in community and proper dignified care for seniors," she said.
One area where Holt said public money can be saved is legal fees. She plans to drop some lawsuits that have been pursued by the Higgs government.
She didn't get into specifics, but the provincial government has undertaken notable legal battles over school gender-identity policy and Indigenous land claims.
'We are going to work our butts off'
Holt began her victory speech Monday night by saying thank you in Wolastoqey, Mi'kmaw, French and English.
"With me, you're going to get a leadership that listens and a leadership that cares — a leadership that will respect you whatever language you speak, no matter how you identify, no matter where you live, no matter the colour of your skin, whomever you love," she said.
Holt described herself as having an inner policy wonk, and said that's not what the job of premier calls for.
She'll try to balance being involved enough to understand the files her government puts forward, she said, but not to the point it bogs things down.
Holt said she'll also try to keep her eyes on the horizon and stay in touch with people all over the province.
She has a deep love for New Brunswick and believes people are its greatest asset, she said.
Holt, who is 47, grew up in Fredericton, where she was involved in drama, piano, skiing and rugby, learned French through an immersion program in school and worked at an ice cream shop as a kid.
She studied chemistry and economics and worked for big tech companies as well as non-profits supporting business, health and performing arts before getting into politics.
"We've been waiting for this for 30 years that we've known her," said Anne Fischer, Holt's former university roommate, who described her as an instantly likable dynamo and natural leader.
"It's funny," said Holt, "you don't know you're building your whole life to something until you get there, and then everyone looks around, goes, 'Oh, yeah, yeah, yeah — I saw that happening.' It's wild."
She thanked her husband Jon, with whom she has three daughters, for believing in her since they were 16 years old and for making her electoral win possible.
"We are going to work our butts off," she said of her team of MLAs.
"It's going to be on us to deliver authentically on the ground, openly and transparently."
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With files from Information Morning Fredericton