N.B. PC MLA Andrea Anderson-Mason will not reoffer in upcoming provincial election

A twelfth Progressive Conservative MLA within the Blaine Higgs’ New Brunswick government has announced she will not run in October’s provincial election.

Andrea Anderson-Mason was elected six years ago to represent Fundy-The Isles-Saint John West, and spent time as the province’s attorney general and justice minister.

She was also one of six PCs who voted against government and in favour of a Liberal motion on Policy 713 last spring.

Anderson-Mason said it took a long time to make the decision to leave politics, because she feels she had support from the public to stick with it.

But she says she questions what value she brings in her current role as backbencher, saying she doesn’t feel her skills are “valued anymore.”

“I don’t think the premier is looking for a lot of help from others,” she said. “I didn’t get into politics as a retirement gig…and I didn’t want to be one of those individuals staying for the paycheque.”

She feels she can make more of a difference on the ground working for New Brunswickers in a different way, although didn’t provide specifics.

Anderson-Mason said she does intend to remain in her role until the October election – and isn’t ruling out a return to politics in the future. 

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