House of Assembly closes early despite political uncertainty

Jenna Head · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 14, 2025 10:07 AM EDT | Last Updated: 1 infinitesimal ago

Despite the uncertainty of a commercialized war, an ongoing contention for provincial Liberal enactment and ministers who didn't cognize who should reply questions during question period, authorities closed the House of Assembly weeks up of docket connected Wednesday.

"We travel successful in March to bring down interim supply," authorities House leader Lisa Dempster said. "We'll reconvene the House erstwhile we bash a fund successful the coming weeks."

Three notable bills were passed successful the seven-day session: the Law Enforcement Oversight Commission Act, the Offshore Renewable Energy Management Newfoundland and Labrador Act, and the interim fund supply, which holds $200 cardinal successful contingency wealth to soften immoderate imaginable blows to manufacture and labour amid tariff threats from the United States.

Opposition parties judge the House closing aboriginal signifies the province's changing governmental environment.

"The full Liberal caucus connected the other broadside and the full Liberal authorities astatine the contiguous clip seems to beryllium successful chaos. They're leaderless, they don't cognize which absorption they're going in," said PC Leader Tony Wakeham. 

NDP Leader Jim Dinn blames the Liberal enactment contention and upcoming national predetermination for the legislature's closure.

"What dictates the Liberal docket is their ain docket and not the concern of the people," helium said. "That's not concern arsenic usual."

Changing cabinet

Of the 22 Liberal MHAs, conscionable 2 — outgoing Premier Andrew Furey and Energy Minister Andrew Parsons — person confirmed they aren't running in the adjacent election. Two of those MHAs — John Hogan and John Abbott — are moving for Liberal leadership, and Dempster is considering moving federally. 

Other ministers present clasp doubled portfolios, and Wakeham questions the party's strength.

"It doesn't accidental overmuch for the endowment excavation that you person successful your caucus erstwhile 2 of the astir important portfolios successful the province, those being wellness and the different being intelligence wellness and addictions oregon lodging rather, and you person a curate doing those disconnected the country of their desk," helium said. 

But the Liberals say the PCs are missing the mark. 

On March 4, Canada was expected to look 25 per cent tariffs connected goods entering the United States. The provincial Tories, who person the bulk of question period to situation the governing Liberals successful the legislature, didn't inquire a azygous question related to tariffs. 

Instead, the enactment again focused chiefly connected the province's arguable onshore deals.  

"It's precise concerning that the absorption didn't deliberation that this was the astir important contented of the day. It surely is," said Finance Minister Siobhan Coady.

After being questioned by reporters, Wakeham led question play the pursuing time with tariffs arsenic the topic, and tied it backmost to the province's arguable sweetener tax.

"Let maine inquire the curate of finance, now that the designer of the sweetener taxation has resigned, volition you destruct the sweetener taxation to assistance Newfoundlanders and Labradorians?" helium said.

The NDP chiefly focused connected housing, affordability and tariffs. 

"We're successful the mediate of a tariff warfare with our neighbour to the southbound that's going to person perchance large fiscal interaction connected the radical of this province," said Dinn.

The House of Assembly volition resume aboriginal this period to statement the provincial budget.

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