Latest news with #AndrewFurey
Yahoo
12 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
One departed minister received now-cancelled cabinet cash allowance, premier's office says
Andrew Parsons left provincial politics in May, after serving as an MHA since 2011 and a cabinet minister since 2015. (Mike Simms/CBC - image credit) One now-retired politician availed of a new transitional allowance for outgoing cabinet ministers that was rescinded hours after being revealed by CBC News on Friday. Late Tuesday afternoon, the premier's office confirmed details of payments made under the now-cancelled policy. Those details were first reported by the business and political news website allNewfoundlandLabrador. Former energy minister Andrew Parsons "resigned while the policy was in place and has therefore received the cabinet transitional allowance," Sonja Pomeroy, a spokesperson for the premier's office, wrote in an emailed statement. ADVERTISEMENT Parsons would have been eligible for an allowance payment of around $37,000. According to Pomeroy, former premier Andrew Furey "has not received the cabinet transitional allowance and has asked that he not receive it." He had been eligible under the policy. Neither Parsons nor Furey has provided comment. Policy rescinded hours after airing of CBC report On Friday morning, CBC News revealed that the provincial cabinet had quietly approved a new transitional allowance policy for departing ministers, which came into effect April 1. It provided one month's ministerial salary for each year of service in cabinet, on a prorated basis, for a minimum of three months and a maximum of 12 months. For ministers, that worked out to a minimum payout of around $12,000, up to the full annual salary of $48,664. John Hogan left cabinet in March to run for the provincial Liberal leadership. He won, and was sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador's 15th premier in May. (Mark Quinn/CBC) The revelation of the new payment to outgoing cabinet ministers, approved just months before an election, generated immediate public controversy. Six current cabinet ministers have indicated they plan to retire when voters go to the polls. ADVERTISEMENT On Friday afternoon, Premier John Hogan announced that cabinet had met and decided to "immediately rescind" the policy, which had never been publicly disclosed. Hogan stressed that he was not in cabinet when the policy was approved, and was not involved in that decision. In an open letter to Hogan on Monday, Opposition Leader Tony Wakeham was skeptical about that explanation. "Setting aside how difficult it is to believe that the public service would not brief a new premier on issues of compensation for cabinet, your statement raises more questions than it provides answers," Wakeham wrote. The PC leader said any cabinet minister who voted to approve the allowance should be removed from the Liberal slate of candidates in the coming election. PC Leader Tony Wakeham, left, and NDP Leader Jim Dinn have both been sharply critical of the now-cancelled allowance for departing ministers and how it has been handled. (Jeremy Eaton/CBC) Meanwhile, NDP Leader Jim Dinn called on Hogan to disclose exactly who supported the decision. ADVERTISEMENT "None of these ministers are living paycheque to paycheque," Dinn said in a press release Tuesday. "To make such a selfish decision after hearing firsthand how much people are struggling is nothing short of greed." Download our free CBC News app to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our daily headlines newsletter here.
CBC
7 days ago
- Politics
- CBC
Exodus of N.L. cabinet ministers challenges Liberal Party momentum, prof says
One by one, veteran Liberal Party politicians are bowing out of the campaign trail ahead of Newfoundland and Labrador's upcoming fall provincial election. The trail of resignations started in May 2024 when former St. John's South MHA Tom Osborne resigned from provincial politics after a 28-year career. Then, in September, former energy minister Andrew Parsons announced he wouldn't be running in the 2025 provincial election after a 14-year political career. He formally resigned in May 2025 following the change in the provincial Liberal leadership. Parsons' resignation followed that of former Premier Andrew Furey, who stepped down in February after serving for four and a half years. Furey has since returned to working as an orthopedic surgeon in St. John's, but has not ruled out a future in politics. Furey's resignation triggered a Liberal leadership race in March, which saw Windsor-Lake MHA John Hogan become premier in May. Five cabinet ministers out A formal provincial election must take place by October 2025. With the six-week campaign trail getting closer, five of Hogan's cabinet ministers, and one backbencher, have decided not to seek re-election. Seniors Minister John Abbott was the first to tender his resignation from provincial politics. Elected in 2021 as MHA for St. John's East-Quidi Vidi, Abbott attempted to become the Liberal leader twice. First up against Furey, then Hogan. He chose to resign at the end of the summer following a lawsuit over the controverted 2021 provincial election. Then on July 7, Finance Minister and Deputy Premier Sioban Coady announced that she will not seek re-election after spending a decade in provincial politics, and three years in federal politics between 2008 and 2011. A week later, on Monday, three cabinet ministers announced that they will also not seek re-election after spending a decade in provincial politics. The first was Industry, Energy, and Technology Minister Steve Crocker. Shortly after came Justice and Public Safety Minister John Haggie, and then Environment and Climate Change Minister Scott Reid. Lake Melville MHA Perry Trimper is also moving on. He announced his decision to leave politics in May. Liberal momentum challenged Political science professor Alex Marland told CBC the exodus of long-time Liberal politicians in the province is normal and healthy, as it paves the way for new faces in the House of Assembly. "Politics is draining," he said. "You just need energy." But with ridings opening up for new competition, Marland said those newly elected faces could belong to a different party and lead to a change in government. "It's ultimately challenging for the premier to show momentum, and politics is so much about momentum," Marland said. That doesn't mean Hogan can't win the upcoming provincial election, but Marland said losing big names poses a challenge. There is also a pattern in Newfoundland and Labrador. Since 1972, whenever the province's governing party elects its third leader, they lose in the following provincial election. "I immediately think of Paul Davis," Marland said. "There's a lot of factors at play, but the thing that is constant is the longer you are in government, the harder it becomes to stay in government." He said that's because the government develops a record, and people want change. Sometimes, change occurs when a new leader takes office with a new cabinet. It can also lead to a change in the governing party. With an eye on the PCs, Marland said a good strategy for the party would be recruiting star candidates who want to be part of PC Leader Tony Wakeham's caucus. Marland said star candidates are people with a public profile, and they are often mayors.
Winnipeg Free Press
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Winnipeg Free Press
Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey steps down from legislature
ST. JOHN'S – Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey has stepped down from his seat in the legislature. Furey announced his decision on social media, thanking the people he represented in the western Newfoundland district of Humber-Gros Morne. He says he turned 50 on Wednesday, and the time was right to begin a new chapter in his life. Furey was elected leader of the governing Liberals in August 2020 and sworn in as premier later that month. He shocked the province when he announced in February that he would resign as premier. John Hogan, previously the Liberal health minister, was sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador's 15th premier in May. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025.
CTV News
03-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey steps down from legislature
Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey holds a news conference in N.L., Tuesday, Feb. 25, 2025, where he announced his resignation as premier. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Paul Daly Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey has stepped down from his seat in the legislature. Furey announced his decision on social media, thanking the people he represented in the western Newfoundland district of Humber-Gros Morne. He says he turned 50 on Wednesday, and the time was right to begin a new chapter in his life. Furey was elected leader of the governing Liberals in August 2020 and sworn in as premier later that month. He shocked the province when he announced in February that he would resign as premier. John Hogan, previously the Liberal health minister, was sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador's 15th premier in May. This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 3, 2025 The Canadian Press
Yahoo
03-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Former premier Andrew Furey resigns as MHA for Humber-Gros Morne
Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Andrew Furey has resigned from his role as the MHA for Humber-Gros Morne. Furey made the announcement on Thursday afternoon in a video posted on Facebook, along with his letter of resignation to Premier John Hogan. His resignation was effective as of noon. "It has been a complete honour and privilege to serve you in the House of Assembly. Today, I told the speaker that I'd be resigning as your member," Furey said. Furey, the 14th premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, has served as the MHA for the western Newfoundland region since October 2020. He won the seat in a byelection three months after becoming leader of the provincial Liberal Party. He resigned as premier after 4 ½ years in office in February, citing a desire to spend more time with his family and return to his career as an orthopedic surgeon. Despite staying on as the member for Humber-Gros Morne following his resignation, Furey was absent during the recent sitting of the House of Assembly. The resignation likely won't trigger a byelection, with a general provincial election happening on or before Oct. 14. Download our to sign up for push alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Sign up for our . Click .
