Three new faces at cabinet table
Status of Women becomes solo cabinet portfolio
When Carol Anne Haley woke up on Thursday morning, she didn’t know she would end the day with a seat at the cabinet table.
In fact, her new cabinet colleagues Bernard Davis and Graham Letto found out less than two hours before the swearingin ceremony that they were being considered for a cabinet portfolio.
Haley, the MHA for Buringrand Bank, will get a rare title in the Newfoundland and Labrador government, as Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. It’s the first time since the portfolio was introduced in 1988 that it’s being handled as a stand-alone ministerial responsibility.
Haley says it’s good to let the portfolio stand alone. While Davis and Letto found out about their appointments at 2:30 p.m., it didn’t quite go that way for Haley.
“It was a little bit later, actually,” she said.
Previously, the portfolio was handled by Min. Siobhan Coady, who will now serve solely as minister of Natural Resources.
Premier Dwight Ball says a report is forthcoming on the status of women in the province, which Haley will focus on in her new duties.
“We want to bring a focus on women in leadership roles,” he said.
“I wanted to make sure that we have a minister in place that will take those recommendations and implement them.”
Davis, MHA for Virginia Waters-pleasantville, now becomes Minister of Advanced Education, Skills, and Labour, taking the portfolio from Al Hawkins, who will now serve as Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development. Originally, the portfolio was held by Mount Scio MHA Dale Kirby, who now sits as an Independent member, having been found in breach of the MHA Code of Conduct earlier this week.
Letto, MHA for Labrador West, becomes Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, taking the portfolio from Minister Andrew Parsons. Humber-bay of Islands MHA Eddie Joyce held the portfolio in Ball’s first cabinet, before he was also found in breach of the MHA Code of Conduct.
Ball says he’s been eyeing his caucus for new members of his cabinet for the last week or so.
The major changes come less than a year away from the fixed election date for the province, which is scheduled for Oct. 8, 2019.
Ball says he can’t guarantee there won’t be further changes to the leadership of his party — even musing about his eventual replacement as Liberal leader.
“Anything can happen in life,” he said.
“When I look around the table or this province, I always look at people who could be the next premier. Why wouldn’t I?”
Elsewhere, St. George’s-stephenville East MHA Scott Reid is now parliamentary secretary to Gerry Byrne, minister of Fisheries and Land Resources. Stephenville-port au Port MHA John Finn is now parliamentary secretary to Minister of Health John Haggie. Harbour Graceport de Grave MHA Pam Parsons becomes Deputy Chair of Committees — third in line for the Speaker’s chair.