Yet another N.B. Tory who dissented against Premier won't run in next election
![Holder New Brunswick Progressive Conservative MLA Trevor Holder, right, is sworn in as Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour at the New Brunswick Legislature in Fredericton on Friday, Nov. 9, 2018. Holder, the province's longest-serving member of legislature, says he will not be running in the upcoming election. (Source: THE CANADIAN PRESS/James West)](/content/dam/ctvnews/en/images/2024/3/28/holder-1-6826192-1711650631159.jpg)
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
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6977430.1721925531!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
'There's mom and dad's house': New video appears to show destruction of Jasper neighbourhood
Video posted to social media on Thursday morning appears to show the charred remains of a Jasper, Alta., neighbourhood.
LIVE SOON Extent of Jasper wildfire damage still unknown; Alberta Wildfire hosting update
Officials are waiting to learn Thursday morning the extent of wildfire damage in the Jasper townsite of Jasper National Park, which flames began to eat away at the night before.
Jennifer Aniston criticizes JD Vance for 'childless cat ladies' remarks: 'I pray that your daughter is fortunate enough to bear children'
Jennifer Aniston is criticizing JD Vance for comments he made in his past about women without children.
WATCH LIVE Jasper wildfire burns buildings, while poor air quality forces some fire crews out
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced on social media that Ottawa has approved Alberta's request for federal assistance after a fast-moving wildfire hit Jasper National Park and its townsite late Wednesday.
Prince William made $42 million from his newly inherited estate last year, reports show
Newly released financial reports show that William, the Prince of Wales, drew a salary of $42.1 million last fiscal year, his first since inheriting the vast and lucrative Duchy of Cornwall.
Melania Trump to tell her story in memoir, 'Melania,' scheduled for this fall
Former first lady Melania Trump has a memoir coming out this fall, 'Melania,' billed by her office as 'a powerful and inspiring story of a woman who has carved her own path, overcome adversity and defined personal excellence.' It's the first memoir by Trump, who has been mostly absent as her husband, former U.S. President Donald Trump, seeks to return to the White House.
Spicy dispute over the origins of Flamin' Hot Cheetos winds up in court
A former PepsiCo executive is suing the company, saying it destroyed his career after questioning his claim that he invented the popular flavor of Cheetos snacks.
NASA says no return date yet for astronauts and Boeing capsule at space station
Already more than a month late getting back, two NASA astronauts will remain at the International Space Station until engineers finish working on problems plaguing their Boeing capsule, officials said Thursday.
Canadian women's soccer team staffer given suspended prison sentence over drone incident, prosecutor says
A Canada women's soccer team staffer has been given an eight-month suspended prison sentence after flying a drone to film the closed-door training session of the New Zealand team on Monday, the prosecutor's office said in a statement.