Holt's first headache: Choosing a cabinet from a large Liberal caucus

It's a good problem to have.

Liberal Premier-designate Susan Holt has the largest incoming caucus of government MLAs since the 2010 election, offering her many options as she chooses her cabinet ministers.

There's no way she can possibly please everyone.

"It's not easy at all," said Jordan O'Brien, a chief of staff to former Liberal premier Brian Gallant.

"There's regional considerations, linguistic considerations, gender considerations, experience — and that's both political experience and not. …  So it's quite a gamut of things you want to balance."

Holt will have to decide quickly: she and her cabinet will be sworn into power Saturday, Nov. 2.

The glut of Liberal MLAs from the Moncton area and southeast New Brunswick is not a surprise, but it's a challenge when choosing a cabinet.

With incumbents, including former ministers and ex-mayors, as well as up-and-comers, it's "the impossible region," because potential choices exceed the number of positions Holt could allocate to a single region.

"The list goes on and on and on and on," O'Brien said. "There's maybe three or four [spots] and more than double that in terms of people available. I don't know how you do that one." 

The unexpectedly large contingent of a half-dozen Liberals in Saint John-area ridings, from the Route 7 interchange in the west all the way to Hampton and St. Martins, adds another layer of complexity.

O'Brien said they represent "a lot of talent, high-profile talent," including Aaron Kennedy, who he called a "giant-killer" for defeating Progressive Conservative Leader Blaine Higgs in his Quispamsis riding.

John Herron, elected in Hampton-Fundy-St. Martins, told an Oct. 2 candidates debate that his experience as an MP in Ottawa, and with the New Brunswick Business Council and the Energy and Utilities Board, "position me to play a senior role in a new government."

Holt set out to build a strong team and that's what she has, said former Liberal cabinet minister Donald Arseneault.

"She's not recruiting people like me with no background," said Arseneault, who predicts the former Horizon Health CEO and winner in Saint John Portland-Simonds will end up with the all-important health portfolio.