New MHAS sworn in at legislature
Derek Bennett elected Speaker
When Lucy Stoyles got the memo that members of the House of Assembly could bring their own Bibles to the swearing-in ceremony Monday, she instantly knew what to take from her bureau.
The modest-sized, leatherbound Bible belonged to her late aunt, Sister Monica Woodrow, a Presentation nun and convent cook who died at the age of 100 in 2015.
“This means a lot to me,” the MHA for Mount Pearl North said outside the legislature about the Bible, which is more than 80 years old. “This was important today.”
The speech from the throne will take place Thursday and the House will resume next Monday.
Premier Andrew Furey said he expects a budget will be brought in by June. But he reiterated Monday it won't be draconian.
“It's taken us five to 10 years to get to this scenario and it's going to take us that time to get out of it,” Furey told reporters after he was sworn in as the MHA for Humber-gros Morne for the second time in a year, following a byelection win last fall.
“So there's no one budget that is going to fix everything.”
Furey also said the legislative agenda will not only be aggressive, but the Liberal majority will take on the public health crisis, the economic crisis and the demographic crisis.
“As you have heard me say time and time again this is a once-in-a-generation opportunity to reset Newfoundland and Labrador for future generations,” Furey said.
“And that will be a true failure at this time of disruption if we let that slip through our fingers. We have some serious problems facing the province right now.”
Furey said reform of the Elections Act will be an immediate priority, including rectifying glaring omissions such as the lack of ballots in Indigenous languages.
LIMITED EVENT
What was missing for Stoyles and 38 other MHAS sworn in Monday was having family members on site to witness the occasion (John Abbott — who was sworn in with the rest of the cabinet last week as Children, Seniors and Social Development minister — was not sworn in as an MHA because his district of St. John's East-quidi Vidi is the subject of a recount application to the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court).
“That's the sad part about today,” Stoyles said of people not having spouses and children at the House. “My husband (Reg) is home watching it on TV.”
Lt.-gov. Judy Foote sat at a legislative desk six feet from the desk where each member came in and swore the oath before signing the roll. The next person to be sworn in waited at the door of the legislature for their turn. After each MHA was sworn in, the desk, chair, Bible, desktop blotter and pen were cleaned with Lysol wipes.
The only specatators in the public gallery were a handful of photographers and a news camera operator.
Still it was a happy time. “Oh my God it's like a dream come true,” Stoyles said.
“My goal is to work with the people of the district.”
Although she has been involved in the Liberal party much of her life, Stoyles is a rookie Liberal backbencher. She was a constituency assistant for independent Mount Pearl Southlands MHA Paul Lane and a member of Mount Pearl city council for 25 years.
What might be different from her previous jobs is the heckling that can turn the legislature into a raucous environment.
“I'm not looking forward to (heckling). I am used to working in a team,” Stoyles said.
“I think that is going to be a bit awkward for me. I am hoping I will be able to adjust and go with the flow.”
Stoyles will also sit across the House from her old boss.
“It wasn't like you were working for him, it was like you were working with him,” she said of Lane.
“I learned a lot from him. Paul is a good MHA.”
The province's economic situation was on Stoyles' mind Monday as well.
“We have to go slow because people are hurting out there. We have to create jobs and build. I don't want to see what happened five years ago with levies and stuff like that.”
SPEAKER ELECTED
Monday marked the opening of the 50th General Assembly, and its first order of business was naming Lewisporte-twillingate MHA Derek Bennett as the Speaker of the House after two rounds of voting.
In giving his thanks to family and constituents, Bennett said he might become emotional.
“Poppy loves you,” he said to his grandchildren, who he hasn't gotten to see as often due to COVID-19 restrictions.
More than ever, he said, the members of the legislature must unite and work together in the best interests of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
He also said to new MHAS that it will be a steep learning curve, but a rewarding one.
Bennett said that while people might get passionate, all MHAS must lead by example and keep it respectable. He said he will strictly enforce respectful decorum.
“Again, I thank you. And I am truly, truly honoured,” Bennett said to the legislature as he finished his postspeaker election speech.
Four other MHAS had been in the running for the Speaker's job: Placentia-st. Mary's MHA Sherry Gambinwalsh, St. George's-humber MHA Scott Reid, Baie Vertegreen Bay MHA Brian Warr and Progressive Conservative Topsail-paradise MHA Paul Dinn. Reid had held the position of Speaker in the previous Liberal government.
Gambin-walsh, Bennett and Warr are former Liberal cabinet ministers who didn't receive a cabinet post this time around.
Things have been moving fast since the dragged-out election process ended last month that saw the Liberals narrowly securing Furey's coveted majority government.
Amid the fog and rain of last week, Furey oversaw the swearing-in of his beefedup cabinet — with two extra cabinet positions — deemed needed to tackle the incredible fiscal, economic and social challenges facing the province.
The challenges include mitigation measures for expected higher power bills due to Muskrat Falls' ballooning costs, the anticipated Greene Report and debate over what it contains and what recommendations may be acted upon, and the key spring budget that will set the tone for the next four years for the Furey government.
Furey also said Monday he will watch the federal budget Monday for news on longterm care, pharmacare, child care and the Atlantic loop.