Yet another N.B. Tory who dissented against Premier won't run in next election
The longest-serving member of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservatives says he won't be running in the upcoming election.
Trevor Holder is the 10th Tory who has publicly broken ranks with Premier Blaine Higgs to announce a departure from provincial politics since the 2020 election, and the fourth since the end of February.
Holder, first elected in 1999, read a statement on the floor of the legislature Thursday in which he said he worries people have taken for granted the freedom and democratic institutions earlier generations had fought for.
"The fact of the matter is we don't own the keys to this place. I took an oath to the Crown. The Crown is the embodiment of the people. The people own the keys to this place," he said. "And in a free and democratic election, they are free to take those keys back."
He didn't give a precise date for when he will leave as member for Portland-Simonds, but he said he won't be around by May.
"I have learned far more from my constituents than they have ever learned from me," he said. "And if I dare say it's about being progressive and conservative at the same time."
The legislature rose to give him a standing ovation at the end of his 15-minute speech.
In June, Holder resigned from cabinet after he dissented against his party for Policy 713, whose main thrust is requiring students to get parental consent before they can be referred to by teachers by their preferred names and pronouns.
Other ex-ministers who publicly dissented against Higgs over the issue -- Dorothy Shephard, Daniel Allain and Jeff Car -- have all recently announced they won't be running in the next election, which has to be held by October.
But in his departure speech on the floor, Holder did not mention his opposition to the changes made to the gender policy, nor did he talk about the differences he's had with the Tory premier.
In his resignation letter in June, Holder called out Higgs's leadership style, writing that too often caucus decisions reflected the premier's will rather then the consensus of cabinet.
"His lack of empathy as well as his inability to listen to valid concerns of all members of his caucus demonstrates a further inability to lead the citizens of New Brunswick," he wrote. "No one has a monopoly on wisdom. The party is greater than any one person."
Higgs defended his leadership style Thursday when asked if he had addressed the concerns expressed in Holder's letter.
"It's rare if ever you come out of caucus or cabinet with unanimous decisions. There's always a degree of difference, and that's not going to change," he said.
"But leadership requires real decisions, and you're not everything to everybody. So you do what you believe is right and you do it with conviction and you hope it is the right thing to do."
He acknowledged that Holder's departure is a loss but said it would be an opportunity to bring in new people and fresh ideas.
Liberal Leader Susan Holt and Green Leader David Coon paid tribute to Holder's work on the floor of the house.
Holt called Holder a "real asset to the legislature."
"He was a pleasure to work with so it's a loss to see him leaving the Legislative Assembly."
Coon called him an "excellent parliamentarian" who made "real contributions" to his riding and the system of government.
"I'm sad to see him go," he said. "He's certainly a truly Progressive Conservative in the truest meaning of that term."
This report by The Canadian Press was first published March 28, 2024.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'Very expensive lunch': Sask. driver says he got a cellphone ticket for using his points app in the drive-thru
A warning from a Saskatoon driver about using your fast-food app while in the drive-thru line — a trip to get some free lunch cost him a lot more than he bargained for.
Evacuees concerned over conflicting information on Fort Nelson wildfire
Evacuees staying in Fort St. John have expressed concern about how little they are hearing about what is happening in their now deserted city.
New study shows financial impact of homelessness on our health-care system
A new study out of London, Ont. lays out the cost of the homelessness crisis on our health-care system.
B.C. YouTuber ordered to pay $350K for 'relentless' online defamation campaign
An 'unrepentant' YouTuber has been ordered to pay $350,000 in damages as compensation for a 'relentless' campaign of defamation waged online against a business owner and his company, the B.C. Supreme Court has ruled.
Chief says grave search at B.C. residential school brings things 'full circle'
Chief Robert Michell says relief isn't the right word to describe his reaction as the search begins for unmarked graves at the site of a former residential school he attended in northern British Columbia.
Insurance claims skyrocket and tensions remain high after slew of natural disasters
According to new data released by Statistics Canada, the cost of catastrophic insurance claims in Canada between 1983 and 2008 was $400 million each year.
P.E.I. proposes banning Islanders of a certain age from purchasing tobacco products in new health plan
A new proposal to ban Islanders of a certain age from ever buying tobacco products could put Prince Edward Island at the forefront of the battle against smoking.
'Endless Shrimp' just one misstep for Red Lobster as it eyes bankruptcy protection
While it's unclear what these closures might mean for the 27 restaurants in Canada, Red Lobster is expected to file for bankruptcy protection in the U.S. this month.
Ontario's 'Crypto King' Aiden Pleterski arrested
Of the $40-million Aiden Pleterski was handed over two years, documents show he invested just over one per cent and instead spent $15.9 million on "his personal lifestyle." The 25-year-old Oshawa, Ont. man was arrested and charged with fraud and money laundering on Tuesday.