The Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced changes to his Cabinet.

Effective immediately, the changes are:

• The Honourable Gerry Byrne, Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture and Minister Responsible for the Public Procurement Agency
• The Honourable Lisa Dempster, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, Minister of Labrador Affairs, Minister Responsible for Labour, Minister Responsible for Workplace NL, and Deputy Government House Leader
• The Honourable Bernard Davis, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Minister Responsible for the Access to Information and Protection of Privacy Office
• The Honourable Elvis Loveless, Minister of Digital Government and Service Newfoundland and Labrador and Minister Responsible for the Office of the Chief Information Officer
• The Honourable Sarah Stoodley, Minister of Immigration, Population Growth, and Skills and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs
• The Honourable John G. Abbott, Minister of Housing and Minister of Mental Health and Addictions
• The Honourable John Hogan, K.C., Minister of Health and Community Services, Attorney General, and Government House Leader
• The Honourable Fred Hutton, Minister of Rural Economic Development and Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure
• The Honourable Scott Reid, Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation

In addition to today’s Cabinet changes, Perry Trimper, MHA for Lake Melville, has been appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier and Parliamentary Secretary for Veterans and Military Relations.

Biographies of the ministers and parliamentary assistant/secretary are included in the backgrounder below.

Quote
“My government has taken bold steps to support the social and economic well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and achieving our vision of a strong, self-sufficient province. I sincerely thank the team of ministers for the leadership and energy, as well as excitement in taking on new responsibilities. Together we will continue to build on the considerable progress that has already been achieved.”
Honourable Dr. Andrew Furey
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

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BACKGROUNDER

Biographies

Hon. John G. Abbott
John G. Abbott is one of 10 children born to William and Angela (Ennis) Abbott raised in the family home on Portugal Cove Road in the District of St. John’s East – Quidi Vidi.

He attended Memorial University where he met his wife, Colleen Hanrahan, in a Political Science class and completed a degree in Political Science and Economics, followed by a graduate degree in Public Administration from Carleton University. Following graduation, he started work with the provincial Department of Finance.

Minister Abbott was a senior executive in various departments: Health, Municipal Affairs, Transportation and Works, Treasury Board, and Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. In 2017, he led the development of the much-heralded mental health and addictions action plan for the province. He is also former Chief Executive Officer of both the Canadian Mental Health Association – NL Division and Health Council of Canada.

In 1999, he was awarded the IPAC Lt. Governor’s Award for Excellence in Public Administration and the Pottle Award for promoting mental health in the community.

Minister Abbott has served on national and provincial boards including the Kiwanis Music Festival Association, the Jimmy Pratt Foundation, and Canadian Corps of Commissionaires-NL.

Minister Abbott is an avid hiker, having backpacked across Newfoundland and Labrador, in Europe and Mount Kilimanjaro, and slept under the stars in the Antarctic. On April 8, 2021, he was sworn-in as Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities, Minister Responsible for the Community Sector, and Minister Responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing.  In June 2023, he was appointed Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure.

Hon. Gerry Byrne
Gerry Byrne has had a long and successful career in federal politics, having served as the Member of Parliament for Humber-St. Barbe-Baie Verte beginning in 1996. Mr. Byrne was re-elected six times to the Parliament of Canada.

From 2002 until 2004, Minister Byrne served as the Minister of State for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency; the youngest cabinet member in Newfoundland and Labrador history. He was parliamentary secretary to several key cabinet members. He has also served in a lead role on a number of influential government standing committees.

Prior to entering politics, Minister Byrne worked as an economic development officer on the Great Northern Peninsula, during which time he was involved in numerous projects from varying segments of the provincial economy, including the renewable and non-renewable resource sectors. He was born and raised in Corner Brook. He completed his post-secondary education at Dalhousie University, receiving a Bachelor of Science degree in biology.

Minister Byrne was appointed Minister of Advanced Education and Skills on December 14, 2015, and Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources on July 31, 2017.  He was appointed to serve as Minister of Immigration, Skills and Labour and Minister Responsible for Workplace NL in August 2020.

On April 8, 2021, he was sworn in as Minister of Immigration, Population Growth and Skills.

Hon. Bernard Davis
Bernard Davis is a lifelong resident of St. John’s, a dedicated community volunteer, and someone who is committed to enhancing and promoting community development issues across the province. A graduate of Memorial University (Bachelor of Commerce), Mr. Davis served as the Executive Director and Program Coordinator of the Church Lad’s Brigade (C.L.B.) and as an elected Councillor at St. John’s City Hall before entering provincial politics.

In 2015, Minister Davis was elected to represent the District of Virginia Waters-Pleasantville and has served as Parliamentary Secretary to both the Minister of Health and Community Services and Minister of Service Newfoundland and Labrador.

He was appointed Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour in November of 2018, and Minister of Tourism, Culture, Arts and Recreation in August of 2020.

On April 8, 2021, he was sworn in as Minister of Environment and Climate Change; Minister Responsible for Labour; and Minister Responsible for Workplace NL.

Hon. Lisa Dempster
Lisa Dempster was first elected to the House of Assembly in 2013 in her home district of Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair. Minister Dempster was appointed Deputy Speaker of the House of Assembly in December 2015. In July 2017, Minister Dempster was appointed Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities. She also served as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment in 2019.

Born and raised in Charlottetown, Labrador, she attended Memorial University, and worked in the tourism and hospitality industry. She worked for 23 years as a career and employment counsellor, including 10 years with the NunatuKavut Community Council, of which Minister Dempster is a member.

Minister Dempster also served as Deputy Mayor of Charlottetown, as well as the Labrador Director on Municipalities NL’s Board of Directors. Before entering public office, she served as a trustee with the Labrador-Grenfell Regional Health Authority Board, a member of the Memorial University Faculty of Medicine’s Admissions Committee, Chair of the Charlottetown Literacy Committee and Co-Chair of the Region’s Literacy Committee.

She represented the province for six years on the National Steering Committee of Commonwealth Women Parliamentarians, sharing her perspective on the opportunities and challenges for women interested in pursuing public office.

Minister Dempster is married with two children: Nicholas (now deceased) and Natalie. She makes her home in Charlottetown, Labrador, with her husband, Gaius, and daughter, Natalie.

On April 8, 2021, she was sworn-in as Minister Responsible for Indigenous Affairs and Reconciliation, Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs, and Deputy Government House Leader.

Hon. John Hogan, K.C.
John Hogan is an active member in the community and has served as a member of the Board of Regents at Memorial University, a board member of the St. John’s Port Authority, and a bencher at the Law Society of Newfoundland and Labrador. Minister Hogan lives in St. John’s with his wife, Gillian, and two children.

On April 8, 2021, he was sworn-in as Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General.

Hon. Fred Hutton
For more than 30 years, Minister Hutton shared the stories of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as a journalist and broadcaster. In 2020, Minister Hutton left journalism and accepted a position as a Senior Advisor in the Premier’s Office.

He, and his wife Bonnie, resides in Portugal Cove-St. Philip’s, where they raised their children Matthew, Claire, Jenna and Ben. Minister Hutton was elected MHA for the district of Conception Bay East-Bell Island in a by-election in January 2024.  In February 2024, he was appointed Minister of Housing.

Hon. Elvis Loveless
Elvis Loveless originates from Seal Cove, Fortune Bay, married to Marsha (Newport) Loveless with two children, Kaitlyn and Ryan. He was first elected to the House of Assembly for the beautiful district of Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune in 2019.

Minister Loveless takes great pride in representing his constituents, and that will always be his top priority. He pledges to work tirelessly for all issues that matter to his constituents. He began his journey in the political field in 1996 and since that time, he worked as Executive Assistant and Policy Advisor to three former Newfoundland and Labrador Premiers, and also worked with various cabinet ministers. In August 2020, he was appointed to cabinet as Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture. In April 2021, he was appointed as Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure and Minister Responsible for the Public Procurement Act, and in June 2023, he was appointed Minister of Fisheries, Forestry, and Agriculture.

Hon. Scott Reid
Scott Reid completed a degree in Political Science and Economics at Memorial University and a master’s in educational leadership, returning to university in 1999 to complete a PhD at the University of Ottawa.

Minister Reid has many years of experience in government starting in 1989 when he took a staff position in the government of Clyde Wells. Outside of government, Minister Reid taught at the Department of Political Science and the Faculty of Business at Memorial University. He also owned and was editor of a small community newspaper.

Minister Reid was first elected in a by-election in August 2014 and was re-elected in the general elections in 2015, 2019, and 2021 continuing to represent the people of St. George’s-Humber in the House of Assembly. He served as Speaker of the House of Assembly from 2019-21 and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture, and Special Assistant to the Premier on Rural Renewal from 2021 to 2023.  In October 2023, he was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier.

Hon. Sarah Stoodley
Sarah Stoodley (MA, B.Comm. Co-op) was elected to the House of Assembly on May 16, 2019.

Ms. Stoodley grew up in Grand Falls-Windsor, lived and worked for three years in Oxford, United Kingdom, and built a successful career as a digital expert in financial services.

She was an elected alumni representative on the Memorial University Board of Regents and served on the C.A. Pippy Park Commission Board and the Tech NL (NATI) Board.

On April 8, 2021, she was re-sworn-in as Minister of Digital Government and ServiceNL, Minister Responsible for the Office of the Chief Information Officer and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.

Perry Trimper
Perry Trimper (B.Sc. Forestry/Wildlife Management) worked for 30 years in northern resource development and wildlife ecology. As a Principal Scientist with Jacques Whitford and later Stantec, he was involved with numerous environmental research and assessment projects in Labrador. During this period, he also worked in Russia and other nations of the former Soviet Union for the UN, CIDA and World Bank.

Mr. Trimper has served as the Chair of NEIA, the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce, and other community organizations. Before becoming the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment in September 2019, he served in other Cabinet roles including Environment and Climate Change, Service NL, and Francophone Affairs. From 2017-2019, he was the 44th Speaker of the Legislature.

On August 21, 2020, Mr. Trimper was appointed as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Education and the Minister of Finance as well as Special Advisor to the Premier on Climate Change.