Gerry Lowe will seek Liberal nomination for Saint John Harbour
Saint John city councillor and businessman Gerry Lowe will seek the Liberal nomination for Saint John Harbour in the provincial election this September.
Lowe made the announcement Wednesday afternoon, confirming rumours that had been circulating for several months.
"I love being a councillor, but I feel that to be able to get the things that have been promised to us [as a city], we have to have people there in Fredericton to fight for it," he said, citing fair taxation as an example.
"I just feel that I can do more at the table in Fredericton," he said, referring to the cabinet table.
Asked whether he has been promised a cabinet post by the Premier Brian Gallant, Lowe replied, "No. You know, talked about it. I mean, nothing was said one way or the other.
"I'd be useless if I wasn't at the table. I know that and I expressed that to the premier and the other people who have encouraged me."
Saint John Harbour has been held by Liberal MLA and former cabinet minister Ed Doherty, who is not running again. Doherty won the riding by just 71 votes over Progressive Conservative Carl Killen in 2014.
Convention May 8
Lowe said the riding covers much of the same area he already serves as a Ward 3 councillor. He was elected in the May 2013 byelection and re-elected in May 2016.
He owned and operated Vet's Taxi for 43 years, and worked for Canada Post for 35 years.
Lowe had renovated several buildings uptown and constructed a housing development in the Old Rockland Road area.
The nomination convention will be held May 8 at 6:30 p.m. at the Kent Theatre, 24 Coburg St.
Two candidates are seeking the Progressive Conservative nomination for the riding — businesswoman and community volunteer Gail Bremner, and retired teacher Barry Ogden, known for his Marigold Project and the Marco Polo replica.
The Tory nomination convention will be held May 3 at 6 p.m. at the Marco Polo Cruise Terminal.
New Brunswick NDP Leader Jennifer McKenzie will try to reclaim the Saint John Harbour riding for the NDP in the provincial election, slated for Sept. 24.
The New Brunswick Green Party nominated Wayne Dryer, the party's president, to run in Saint John Harbour.
Lowe is the second Saint John city councillor hoping to enter provincial politics. John MacKenzie announced last month he will seek the Liberal nomination in the riding of Portland-Simonds.
