Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Leader John Hogan, accompanied by his wife Gillian and dog Rooney, arrive at Government House in St. John's on Monday.Paul Daly/The Canadian Press
Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Leader John Hogan triggered an election for Oct. 14 on Monday, the last day possible to make the call under the province’s fixed date election rules.
Mr. Hogan visited Government House along with his wife, Gillian, and their dog, Rooney, to ask Lieutenant-Governor Joan Marie Aylward to dissolve the House of Assembly.
“We’re really at a crossroads in Newfoundland and Labrador,” the 47-year-old lawyer told reporters outside Government House. “We’ve been filled with optimism and hope and pride in this province for as long as I can remember, and really for generations, and I think a lot of us still feel that we’re trying to get to where we think we can be and where we deserve to be.”
Mr. Hogan, who had been Premier since May, is vying to win his first provincial election as Liberal leader and to hold power for a fourth consecutive Liberal government. His main contender is Progressive Conservative Leader Tony Wakeman.
Upon dissolution, the Liberals held 19 of 40 seats in the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, while the PCs held 14 seats and the NDP held one. Two seats were held by independents, and four seats were vacant.
The campaign begins as the province struggles with a massive debt that is expected to hit $19.7-billion next year – a staggering $36,400 of debt per person in a province with a population of 540,000.
Mr. Hogan has said that the draft energy deal between Hydro-Québec and Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro is the most pressing election issue, and it’s his hope that the agreement in principle announced last year will improve the province’s financial outlook.
Mr. Wakeman, the leader of the province’s PC Party since 2023, called for change in a statement and video released on social media on Monday.
“For too long, too many people have felt that the crowd making decisions aren’t taking them seriously. That’s exactly why I’m running to be premier,” said Mr. Wakeman, a former chief executive officer of the province’s health authority.
He has been critical of the draft energy deal between Quebec and the province’s hydro utilities, calling for an independent third-party review of the arrangement.
Officials have said the draft deal will potentially add more than $225-billion to N.L.’s coffers over the next 50 years, with the majority of funds coming from Hydro-Québec paying new higher rates for energy from the Churchill Falls power plant in Labrador.
New Democratic Party Leader Jim Dinn – who held the party’s only seat in the provincial legislature – announced the launch of his party’s campaign on the weekend. A teacher who has served on the executive council and board of directors of the Canadian Teachers’ Federation, he is hoping his party can pick up more seats after next month’s vote.
Another issue expected to be on the minds of voters are the destructive wildfires that have ravaged parts of eastern Newfoundland this spring and summer, destroying more than 200 structures. Some residents are still waiting to hear whether they will receive financial help from the provincial or federal governments to recover and rebuild.
Health care, housing and the cost of living are also expected to be key issues.
Mr. Hogan was sworn in as premier on May 9 after winning the Liberal leadership race, replacing Andrew Furey, who announced his plan to resign in February.
With a report from The Canadian Press