Susan Holt is leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party. Image: Submitted

New Brunswick Liberal leader Susan Holt has announced she will run in the riding of Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore in a yet-to-be-called byelection.

Speaking in Bathurst on Monday afternoon, Holt noted how some forces seem to be dividing the province but she believes it’s different in Bathurst.

“Everyone is unified and united in Bathurst whether you are Indigenous, Anglophone, Francophone or a newcomer who speaks another language. This is a community where everyone feels welcome.”

Holt lives in Fredericton but seeks a legislative seat and the Bathurst area riding has been held by Liberal MLA Denis Landry since it was first contested in 2014.

“There is an amazing team working hard in the legislative assembly. I would love to join them there. If we can work together as a team, it would be my honour to represent the people of Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore.”

After 23 years in provincial politics, Landry decided to move into municipal politics and was recently acclaimed as the first mayor of the new community of Hautes-Terres.

“I would like to thank Denis Landry for his decades of dedicated service to not only the people of this riding but to the entire province of New Brunswick as a former minister and leader of the Opposition,” added Holt.

Moncton Centre MLA Rob McKee currently serves as the Opposition leader in the legislature since Holt doesn’t have a seat.

“We can only hope the Higgs Government calls the byelections in a timely manner to ensure people don’t go without representation for too long,” stated Landry.

The nomination process will begin once the riding becomes vacant, meaning after Landry, the current MLA for Bathurst East-Nepisiguit-Saint-Isidore, officially resigns.