Lord quits as PC leader, resigns seat

Bernard Lord will resign his post as leader of the New Brunswick Progressive Conservative Party and his seat in Moncton East on Jan. 31, fuelling speculation about what will come next for the former premier.

Surrounded by his caucus and his wife and two children, Lord, 41,announced Wednesday afternoon that he would no longercontinue in the jobhe held for seven years.

"While I personally wanted to do more, and was prepared to do more, I [am] happy with the success we have been able to achieve," he said, thanking voters and party faithful for their support over the years.

The party has yet to appoint an interim leader, and Lord did not say what he'll do next, though there have been rumours he'll run federally or has been tagged for a diplomatic posting.

Lord says he wanted to win the last election and is disappointed he couldn't serve another few years as premier, but quickly put to rest any rumours he's ready to take a run at federal politics.

"I currently have no political ambition at this moment."

He'smost interested in working in the private sector, possibly using his law credentials, and spending time with his family.

"My desire is to work in the private sector. That's where I want to work."

A decade ago, Lord was a political non-entity for most New Brunswickers.

He was a Moncton lawyer in private practice when he unexpectedly won the PC leadership in 1997,inheriting an organization thatwas badly demoralized and divided following the resignation of former premier Richard Hatfield.

Lord united disgruntled Tories, gave them a mission and brought the party back to power. At 33, he was one of the youngest premiers ever to take over government in New Brunswick.

Leaves legacy as premier

Lord served two consecutive mandates in New Brunswick. He swept into power in 1999 on a rash promise to remove tolls from a privately built highway, and won 44 of 55 seats, ending 12 years of Liberal rule under three successive premiers.

In 2003, he nearly lost the election to Liberal Leader Shawn Graham when he underestimated voter anger over skyrocketing car insurance rates and has spent the last three years in a bare-knuckle fight to maintain his slim majority in the legislature.

Lord rolled the dice on calling a general election for Sept. 18, 2006, well before the end of his mandate, when his one-seat majority was set to vanish with the resignation of Tantramar Tory MLA Peter Mesheau.

Even though his party won slightly more of the popular vote than the Liberals, the Tories lost the battle for individual ridings, winding up three seats behind the Liberals and on the Opposition benches.

Lord's most significant legacy in partisan terms mayhave arisen from his anglophone and francophone roots and his effortless bilingualism.

Lord's fluency allowed him to bring former members of the anti-bilingualism Confederation of Regions party defectors back to the Tories while building support among Acadians.