19-person N.B. cabinet announced ahead of Saturday's swearing-in

N.B. Liberals reveal new cabinet New Brunswick premier-designate Susan Holt unveiled her cabinet ahead of the swearing-in ceremony on Saturday.

A 19-person cabinet has been announced in New Brunswick, the day before Saturday’s swearing-in for the premier and ministers.

Susan Holt will make history when she becomes the province’s first woman premier, with a ceremony and public reception scheduled in Fredericton.

Francine Landry will also make history on Saturday when she’s sworn in as the first woman Francophone speaker of the legislative assembly.

The full list of executive council members to be sworn-in include:

Guy Arseneault and Benoit Bourque will serve as deputy speakers, while Marco LeBlanc will serve as government house leader. Jacques LeBlanc will act as government whip.

A notable name in Holt’s cabinet is former Horizon Health Network president and CEO Dr. John Dornan, who is taking on the government’s largest portfolio: health. Dornan was fired from Horizon in 2022 by former Progressive Conservative Premier Blaine Higgs, and later awarded $2 million in damages and compensation.

“To be a CEO was an experience that I quite enjoyed and now I have an opportunity to be at another level where you can work with colleagues and government,” Dornan told reporters on Friday.

Housing has been split from Social Development, with first-time MLA David Hickey taking on responsibilities for the New Brunswick Housing Corporation.

“I think it shows the urgency this government is bringing to this file,” said Hickey. “It shows the need that communities across the province are facing, whether it’s around homelessness or the need for affordable housing. To me, we have a premier who is ready to take this on.”

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