Liberal leadership race still on hold
Campaign was paused due to COVID-19
The election race for the next leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador will remain suspended.
A media release issued Friday morning says the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal leadership election committee will revisit the decision about whether to lift the suspension on May 11.
"As we have stated, public health has been top of mind in our deliberations and will continue to be as we move forward. We will continue to monitor the situation in our province and update the public on our decisions accordingly," said Sarah Pinsent, co-chair of the committee.
The two contenders are John Abbott, 63, a former deputy minister of health, who was axed over a year ago over controversial comments he made about health-care spending. He says the decision came from Premier Dwight Ball's office. He is also CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.
Abbott's campaign was the first of the two candidates to call for the suspension of the race.
Orthopedic surgeon and Team Broken Earth founder Andrew Furey is challenging Abbott.
During the province's daily COVID-19 briefing Friday, outgoing Premier Dwight Ball said his focus has been on the health and economic crisis the province has been facing for nearly six weeks.
"When they decide on who the next leader of the party is, that's the Liberal Party's decision not mine. I made it quite clear that I will not be seeking re-election, but I also made it quite clear that I will use my experience during this health crisis and then do whatever I can to support the province in the economic crisis," Ball said.
"There's so many things that were at one time normal in our province. That's my focus right now. It's on the well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, not the future of the Liberal Party. Someone else will make that decision."
Earlier this week, the executive director of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador told CBC there has been no discussion on reopening nominations for the Liberal leadership race.
Michael King said nominations for the leadership — and, as a result, the premiership — closed March 6 and there are no plans to reopen them.
There has been a surge of support online for Health Minister John Haggie since he assumed a key leadership position during the COVID-19 crisis, appearing front and centre during daily briefings to the province.
Haggie told CBC News he would reconsider running for the leadership should the party decide to reopen the nominations.
With files from Ariana Kelland