MLA Lisa Harris to seek federal Liberal nomination for Miramichi-Grand Lake

Miramichi Bay-Neguac MLA Lisa Harris will look to make the jump to federal politics.

Harris announced she’ll seek the Liberal nomination for Miramichi-Grand Lake following MP Pat Finnigan’s decision to retire after the next federal election.

Harris, a three-term Liberal MLA, was first elected in 2014 and served as the minister of seniors and long-term care in the Brian Gallant government.

“An advocate and voice for those that elected her, she has always fought for equality, fairness, and social justice. She has worked hard to bring people together, to build bridges and to ensure that New Brunswickers, from all walks of life, are able to have their voices heard,” reads a statement circulated by Harris.

A nomination convention has not been scheduled by the party.

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Should Harris receive the nomination, she’d be running against another long-time provincial politician. Former Aboriginal Affairs minister and Southwest Miramichi-Bay du Vin MLA Jake Stewart will run for the Conservatives in the riding.

Stewart was removed from cabinet after backing calls from Indigenous leaders for an inquiry into systemic racism, injustice and policing in the province following the police shootings of Chantel Moore and Rodney Levi in the summer of 2020.

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Harris has also been outspoken about Indigenous issues in her time in opposition. In the fall of 2020, she tabled a motion urging the government to respond to the calls from Chiefs to call an inquiry. That motion was amended by Aboriginal Affairs minister Arlene Dunn to remove any mention of an inquiry, rather acknowledging systemic racism exists and pledging to eradicate it in all its forms.

Stewart voted with the Liberals and Greens against the amended motion.

Miramichi-Grand Lake was among the closest ridings in the country in the 2019 election, with Finnigan holding his seat by a margin of 414 votes and will be hotly contested by both the Liberals and Conservatives when the next election is called.

It’s widely expected that a federal election could happen as early as this fall.