Abbott says 'safe' Hogan campaign for N.L. Liberal leadership promises 'nothing new'

Patrick Butler · Radio-Canada

· Posted: Apr 25, 2025 12:15 PM EDT | Last Updated: 1 hr ago

The gloves are off. After a period of cordial campaigning, John Abbott accused John Hogan, his sole hostile successful the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal enactment race, of proposing "nothing new" successful his bid to pb the party — and go premier.

"I would usage the connection safe," said Abbott erstwhile asked to picture his adversary's argumentation commitments connected Thursday.

"There's thing caller oregon expansive successful the platform," added the St. John's East–Quidi Vidi MHA, who made the comments the time aft the last statement of the enactment contention aired connected CBC.

During that face-off, Hogan, the Windsor Lake MHA who is the Liberal establishment's prime for leader, explained his lone run promises to date: offering escaped shingles vaccines to radical aged 50 and over, and creating 3 caller authorities departments focused connected families, seniors and the outgo of living.

Hogan 'proud' of campaign

Since the commencement of the campaign, erstwhile pressed astir policies, Hogan has emphasized his "priorities": finalizing the provisional statement with Hydro-Québec concerning the Churchill Falls powerfulness plant, and implementing the recommendations of the Health Accord study connected modernizing the health-care system.

"What I'm focusing connected is what Newfoundlanders and Labradorians are asking maine to absorption connected and I'm precise arrogant of the run implicit the past mates months," said Hogan, a St. John's-based lawyer who has repeatedly said his ineligible acquisition volition assistance get the Churchill Falls woody crossed the decorativeness line.

Abbott announces bid of policies, though uncosted

For his part, Abbott, who worked for decades arsenic a civilian servant earlier helium became a Liberal minister, has made a number of argumentation announcements since the commencement of the enactment race.

Abbott, besides based successful St. John's, has promised to make a guaranteed basal income for seniors and to physique 10,000 homes implicit the adjacent 5 years.

During Wednesday's debate, helium besides pledged to summation rent supplements for low-income people, promised a program to destruct nationalist indebtedness and said he'd make a caller improvement money for Labrador, paid for with revenues from the Churchill Falls agreement.

None of the promises are costed, but Abbott has promised to enactment an extremity to fund deficits. Hogan said during the statement Wednesday his authorities would walk "responsibly," but didn't regularisation retired aboriginal deficits.

'Similar approach' to Furey enactment run

"When Andrew Furey ran and I ran the archetypal time, [he did truthful with a] precise akin approach," said Abbott, who ran for the Liberal enactment for the archetypal clip successful 2020. "Safe run with nary commitments."

Abbott conceded that Furey's attack worked 4 years ago. At the time, Furey had the enactment of the full Liberal caucus and won the contention with 66 per cent of the points. 

But Abbott says this clip astir helium is amended prepared. Eleven MHAs — fractional the Liberal caucus — are supporting Hogan, whose squad besides includes members of the premier's office, but Abbott has six MHAs connected his team.

"I've been commended and complimented for having argumentation ideas," said Abbott, who spent Thursday campaigning successful Marystown. "That's what astir radical are looking for."

Home agelong of campaign

The adjacent Liberal person volition beryllium chosen astatine the extremity of a two-day enactment normal connected May 3 successful St. John's.

Approximately 14,000 Liberals are registered to vote, astir 33 per cent less than successful 2020 erstwhile Furey was elected and 40 per cent less than erstwhile Dwight Ball became person successful 2013.

Hogan spent Thursday campaigning successful Happy Valley-Goose Bay. Under the Liberal Party's weighted voting system, which ensures that members from each regions of the state person a accidental successful the adjacent leader, each of Newfoundland and Labrador's 40 districts represents 1,000 points. 

When the votes are counted, points are distributed to the candidates according to wherever they voters live. The victor indispensable gain astatine slightest 20,001 points to beryllium elected.

Download our free CBC News app to motion up for propulsion alerts for CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. Click here to sojourn our landing page.