SAINT JOHN – The New Brunswick Liberal Association held a nomination convention Monday night for the next provincial election on September 24, 2018.  Kathleen Riley-Karamanos was nominated as the Liberal candidate for Saint John Lancaster in an uncontested meeting.

Premier Brian Gallant, who is also Leader of the New Brunswick Liberal Party, was present at the nomination and commended Riley-Karamanos on her community engagement in the riding. “Kathleen is a hard worker and will help us deliver on creating jobs, improving education and strengthening health care for the people of Saint John,” said Gallant.

After obtaining a Bachelor of Arts and another in Education, she began her teaching career in New Brunswick.  She then moved to Ontario, where she pursued another passion, the restaurant and hospitality industry, and joined her husband in managing of the legendary Carman’s Dining Club in Toronto. She came back home to be closer to her family and is now the owner and operator of the award-winning Fundy Heights Bed and Breakfast which is located in the riding of Saint John Lancaster.

Kathleen Riley-Karamanos is also involved in her community with the YMCA as a member of the team that hosted a family of Syrian refugees in the city of Saint John and helped them settle and integrate. She also gave her time for 15 years to the Society of Saint Vincent de Paul, which distributes clothes and food to those in need in the city.   

Born in Saint John, Kathleen Riley-Karamanos is no stranger to politics, as her father, Daniel A. Riley, was a Member of Parliament, Provincial Cabinet Minister and Senator representing Saint John electoral districts.

Kathleen Riley-Karamanos said she was honoured to receive the uncontested endorsement from the members of Saint John Lancaster. “I am very proud to be the Liberal candidate in Saint John Lancaster,” said Riley-Karamanos. “I want to build on my professional accomplishments and volunteer experience to represent the constituents of Saint John Lancaster and advance the greater Saint John area. I look forward to working with Premier Brian Gallant’s team on New Brunswickers’ priorities of jobs, education and health care.”

This nomination brings the party closer to its goal that women make up 50% of the candidates
nominated in ridings without Liberal incumbents in the next provincial election. Nine of the fifteen currently nominated candidates in those ridings are women.

The list of official contestants for nominations is available on the New Brunswick Liberal Party’s website at nbliberal.ca.

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