Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier is one to watch

OTTAWA—Newfoundland and Labrador has a new premier. This past weekend the governing Liberal Party elected Dr. Andrew Furey as its leader. In the next number of days, he will be sworn as the province’s 14th premier. The Furey name will be familiar to many in Ottawa, as his father is Senator George Furey, the Speaker of the Senate. Furey, the younger, has taken leave from his successful orthopedic medicine practice to try and fix a very battered Newfoundland and Labrador. He may have had an easier time putting back together car crash victims than he will trying to get the Rock on track. But Furey is neither naïve nor ill prepared for the job, as his opponent in the leadership race charged. Furey, even while excelling in medicine, has been around politics and business his entire life. He has been active in political organization for decades. He was a key player in representing Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s interests when he was campaigning to be the federal Liberal leader. He also served in that same capacity during at least one federal election. He helped guide Newfoundland MP and Natural Resources Minister Seamus O’Regan’s entry into federal politics. But he should not also be dismissed as a Liberal partisan. Furey, like his father before him, has won fans and supporters across various political party and other sector lines. He has a natural intellectual curiosity and seeks all manner of views. He also listens well. These skills leave him positioned to succeed as a leader. Senate Speaker George Furey pictured with his son, Andrew. Photograph courtesy of Facebook In his victory speech, and in subsequent interviews, Furey has made the point that the status quo approach to things in Newfoundland and Labrador is no longer good enough. We must address the real woes we have, and change is necessary. All of this is true. It is a requirement. This message will resonate with many Newfoundlanders and Labradoreans inside and outside the province. The new premier’s greatest challenge will not be enthusiasm or passion, but rather the provincial political system that has rarely rewarded disruption and provides benefits for ward keepers who do not shake things up; who, despite near provincial fiscal ruination, would prefer to leave things the way they are, have Ottawa orchestrate bailouts, and kick the problem down the road. Newfoundland and Labrador legislators are not unique in this regard, but many are rewarded for getting roads paved to virtually nowhere, putting wharfs in communities whose best days of fishing are behind them, and doling out patronage to keep support. If that is how you get your bread buttered, how easy is it going to be to stop smattering it on? Not very. A village on Newfoundland and Labrador's Fogo Island is pictured. If Furey makes progress, so does my beloved Newfoundland and Labrador, writes Tim Powers. Photograph courtesy of Wikimedia Commons The smaller the place often the more tribal the politics. Only the most detached person could argue political tribalism is in decline in Newfoundland and Labrador. Furey’s big challenge will be battling through that perennial pandemic to move forward with the disruption he and many of us want. Perhaps the advantage Furey possesses as a leader is that his courage is not driven by maintaining a pay cheque. As a highly skilled surgeon, he has another career to go to when his political journey is over. He can afford to go against the grain of traditional political management orthodoxies. He can take risks others may be less inclined to consider. Furey is also not identifying himself as a political saviour. Newfoundland and Labrador have had a few leaders who were styled that way, and to date we still have not found the promised one. Furey has made a point of invoking a lot of Kennedy-esque language of late talking specifically about building and attracting the best and the brightest to join his team. If he gains ground here, he could add to his chances of unsettling the status quo. Furey will be a leader to watch. If he makes progress, so does my beloved Newfoundland and Labrador. Tim Powers is vice-chairman of Summa Strategies and managing director of Abacus Data. He is a former adviser to Conservative political leaders. The Hill Times

Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier is one to watch

Furey’s greatest challenge will not be enthusiasm or passion, but rather the provincial political system that has rarely rewarded disruption and provides benefits for ward keepers who do not shake things up.

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Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier is one to watch

Furey’s greatest challenge will not be enthusiasm or passion, but rather the provincial political system that has rarely rewarded disruption and provides benefits for ward keepers who do not shake things up.

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