Newfoundland and Labrador Prime Minister Andrew Freely has resigned and has finished his nearly five-year term.
Furey announced his resignation at a February 25 press conference at St. John’s, less than a week after Prince Edward Island Prime Minister Dennis King announced his retirement from politics.
Furey said he will continue to serve as prime minister until his successor is appointed, adding that his resolve to avoid the path of “career politician” has never changed.
He said it was time to focus on his family and return to his role as an orthopedic surgeon.
“This job was like a five-year shift. You put it in your mind and go to sleep, and it’s your wake-up call every morning,” he said.
“I have to move on now with a pride and a hard-earned, confident heart for the future of Newfoundland and Labrador.”
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He said the state election is scheduled for November and he will not be able to take office for another term. He said he asked the liberal leaders to launch a campaign to find an alternative to him.
Furey premiered during the Covid-19 pandemic in August 2020 after gaining liberal leadership following the resignation of former Prime Minister Dwightball. He won that October of the year at the Mornby Selection of Hamburg Gross, successfully earning his previous seat on the ball.
He saw the votes be postponed in the 2021 pandemic election as Covid-19 incident spiked a week before Election Day, but won a slim majority. Furey’s liberals claimed 22 of the 40 seats in Congress.
Apart from navigating the pandemic, a potential trade war with the US will be one of the most serious concerns facing states and countries, Furey said.
“I wish I could say this is a short-term concern,” he said. “Unfortunately, that’s not just the next four weeks or four months, but the four years’ reality. But we’ve gotten much worse.”
Furey is one of the Canadian prime ministers who travelled south along the border, met with his American counterparts, and traveled to discuss the impact of tariffs on both countries.
He said earlier this month that President Donald Trump’s comments about Canada’s hoping to merge with the United States should be taken seriously.
Despite the threat of a 25% tariff on Canadian goods, if Trump is not satisfied with Canada’s efforts to close out fentanyl trafficking across borders, Furey said, “It could be next week.” He said the state is in a good position to survive a potential storm. .
“The energy we have is the energy the world needs right now,” he said at a press conference. “And that just moves forward more strongly.”
Furey said he has left his post as prime minister who has achieved one of his main objectives. It is to secure a new deal with Quebec on hydropower generated from Churchill Falls. Furey also looked at several other initiatives his government has embarked on, such as addressing population decline, addressing debt and improving healthcare.
“Every decision was made for you, and only you. All Newfoundlanders and Labradorians,” he said. “For the possibility of who we are and who we are.”
