After keeping her distance, Liberal premier ready to work with Trudeau

New Brunswick Premier Susan Holt is keeping her distance from Justin Trudeau no more.

Holt, who repeatedly emphasized her differences with the prime minister leading up to last month's election, was on more welcoming terms Tuesday after their first official meeting in Fredericton.

Her government is ready to sign deals with Ottawa on a range of issues, she told reporters.

But it was Trudeau — facing low approval ratings and a daunting challenge in his own re-election bid sometime next year — who seemed keenest to bridge any gap between him and an election winner he can call an ally.

"I'm really, really excited to be able to work with Susan, with a fellow Liberal, to deliver on real progressive priorities," he told reporters.

"To be able to work with someone who is so like-minded is very, very exciting, and I'm really glad she won, and won so big."

Despite the rapprochement, Holt continued to downplay the party brand they share, not uttering the word "Liberal" during the 21-minute news conference.

Instead, she said voters had opted for "a government that's going to work with anyone and everyone that can help New Brunswickers succeed."

At another point, she said the two governments would collaborate "where our priorities match." 

Last year, Holt said she agreed with then-Progressive Conservative cabinet minister Kris Austin that Trudeau's government was too far to the left.

"It looks like, on the continuum, they're more left than us because we're more centrist here in New Brunswick," she said.

She also pointed out the two leaders had never met — something that remained true until Tuesday.

In the spring, Holt called on Trudeau to not implement the April 1, 2024, scheduled increase to the federal carbon tax, which raised the levy at gas pumps to 17.6 cents a litre.

And during this fall's election campaign, the Liberal name was noticeably absent from many of Holt's campaign materials.