Jamie Korab won Thursday's byelection, but the biggest smile might have been on Andrew Furey
Relieved Liberals celebrate after losing 2 seats to the Tories
Thursday night's byelection win for Liberal candidate Jamie Korab was hailed as a referendum on Andrew Furey's record — and no one seemed to be smiling as broadly as Newfoundland and Labrador's premier himself.
Korab received 2,067 votes in Waterford Valley, nearly 46 per cent of ballots cast. Korab, an Olympic athlete and St. John's city councillor, outmatched Progressive Conservative Jesse Wilkins, a former Royal Newfoundland Constabulary and RCMP officer, who had 1,423 votes, and NDP candidate and social worker Nicole Boland, who received 1,027 votes.
The stakes were high for Furey's Liberals going in the byelection, as only one Liberal candidate had won in the last three byelections. Moreover, PC candidates flipped two previously red seats.
"What a night," Furey told a cheering crowd in a rented office in the west end of St. John's, where even before the official result was clear Liberal politicians and their supporters loudly hailed an imminent victory.
Furey was clearly in a celebratory mood, giving out hugs and high-fives, cheering when it was clear Korab had a clear lead in the Waterford Valley byelection.
After a quick hug, Korab greeted Furey with, "Hey boss! I'm glad to be on your team," and then went in for another hug.
Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Fred Hutton — who won a byelection himself this winter — patted Furey on the back and said, "Congratulations."
Throughout the evening, Liberals framed Korab's ability to keep Waterford Valley in the Liberal fold as a sign that people still had confidence in Furey's leadership.
Veteran MHA and cabinet minister Tom Osborne, whose 28-year career included stints as a Tory, an Independent and finally a Liberal, announced his retirement in May and stepped down in July.
When Furey took to the podium after the official results came in, speaking ahead of Korab, he did so smiling and singing along to Alan Doyle lyrics "we're going to make it home."
Furey said he had campaigned with Korab in the district, and said Korab's compassion and empathy will be assets in the House of Assembly.
Apart from Korab's experience as a St. John's city councillor, Furey lauded the MHA-elect's past an Olympic champion in curling in 2006.
"He's a gold medallist, everybody," Furey said. "And now he is one of ours."
Trust in the provincial team
Korab said he sees his victory as a sign of trust in "Team Furey" on issues like Churchill Falls, management of the fishery, home affordability and the cost of living crisis.
"Tonight, as we all watched over on that spreadsheet on the TV, the answers come back — and it's loud and clear in my opinion. That is myself and Team Furey," Korab said.
When asked about the mixed bag of 2024's byelection results, Furey told reporters that people are struggling, pointing to disruption that the COVID-19 pandemic has caused and that people are feeling the "trauma" from it.
"That's still being digested and understood and as individuals and its community," said Furey.
He said his government is proactively trying to solve the cost of living crisis, like reducing fees for some government services like vehicle registration and lower the gas tax. He said that also reduces revenue the government has access to.
"We continue to look at creative ways and help people help their chequebooks like child care, health care — we'll continue to develop policies that we think are meeting them."
Finance Minister Siobhan Coady spoke about Furey's record, saying that almost four years ago Team Furey "came together."
"And what changes and developments and improvements that have been made over the last four years," said Coady
Prior to Furey, a St. John's orthopedic surgeon, entering politics, she said N.L. — which had previously been led by Liberal premier Dwight Ball — had more than $2 billion in deficit in the middle of a pandemic and childcare was $40 a day.
She said with Furey at the helm, the province's outlook has improved and it has attracted candidates like Korab.
"I can say that Jamie Korab heard that there was an opportunity in Waterford Valley, Jamie Korab said to himself, to his family, to his friends, to his supporters, 'I want to be part of Team Furey,'" she said. "And you know what? We wanted him to be part of Team Furey, too."
With Thursday night's win, the Liberals now hold 22 of the 40 seats in the House of Assembly. The PCs have 14 seats, the NDP hold 2, and there are two Independents.
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With files from Arlette Lazarenko and Heather Gillis
