Tony Wakeham has officially become the 16th premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, marking the Progressive Conservative party’s return to power after almost ten years. Wakeham led the PCs to a majority win in the recent provincial election held on October 14.
The swearing-in ceremony took place at Government House in St. John’s on Wednesday morning. Wakeham’s inaugural cabinet was also sworn in, with several PC MHAs taking on multiple crucial roles across various portfolios.
Key appointments in the cabinet include:
– Barry Petten from Conception Bay South as Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure, Public Procurement, and Deputy Premier.
– Helen Conway Ottenheimer from Harbour Main as Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Attorney General, Minister of Emergency Preparedness and Disaster Management, Minister of Women and Gender Equality, Minister Responsible for Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Office, and Minister Responsible for the Human Rights Commission.
– Paul Dinn from Topsail-Paradise as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development, and Advanced Education and Skills.
– Lela Evans from Torngat Mountains as Minister of Health and Community Services, Minister of Mental Health and Addictions, Minister Responsible for N.L. Health Services, Minister of Labrador Affairs and Indigenous Relations and Reconciliation, among others.
The Progressive Conservatives secured 21 seats in the recent election, granting them a majority government by a slim margin in the popular vote. The Liberals captured 15 seats, while the NDP and Independents each won two seats.
Following the election results, the outgoing Liberals have requested recounts in three closely contested districts – Placentia West-Bellevue, Topsail-Paradise, and Lewisporte-Twillingate. The Liberals stated that the judicial recounts in these districts are essential to ensure the accuracy of the vote count and uphold the democratic process. In response, the PCs criticized the recount requests as a waste of the court’s time and labeled it a “scheme.”
The PCs’ return to power marks a significant shift in the provincial legislature since 2015, when the party was last in office before being defeated by Dwight Ball’s Liberals. The new government’s focus will now be on implementing their agenda and addressing the challenges facing Newfoundland and Labrador.
