FREDERICTON — Bernard Lord told ATV News Tuesday he will run for a third term as New Brunswick premier.

Lord has been under tremendous pressure to run for the leadership of a newly merged federal Conservative party.

Fluently bilingual, the 38-year-old premier has been seen as an attractive candidate to draw voters to a right-leaning party. But Lord shut the door on a switch to federal politics a few weeks ago.

He was asked Tuesday night about Prime Minister Jean Chretien's legacy. Lord said he's impressed by the fact Chretien won three back-to-back majority governments.

He then added: "I'm going to try for a third time.''

Lord's Tories won a slim majority in last June's provincial election. The next New Brunswick election is likely several years away.