DEER LAKE, N.L. — The voters of Humber-Gros Morne will decide today whether Premier Andrew Furey gets a seat in the House of Assembly.
The byelection is taking place in the midst of a financial crisis for the province, after Furey’s 2020-21 budget document showed a $1.8-billion deficit for the province. The COVID-19 pandemic has had a major impact on the finances of the province, and Furey says it’s top of mind for voters in Humber-Gros Morne.
“I have to tell you, COVID-19 is very much a topic at the doors. We spend a lot of time talking about COVID-19 and how we’re going to navigate our way out of this,” said Furey.
“That’s a part of the pitch: I think I bring skills that others don’t have to the table that can help us navigate our way out.”
Furey says he hasn’t considered the chance of losing the byelection.
“I don’t plan to entertain that scenario,” he said.
“We’ve worked hard. Very hard. We’ve got a great team, I have the great support of former premier (Dwight) Ball. I’m pretty confident that we’ll get the result we want. If we don’t, then we’ll re-evaluate then, like in everything in life.”
Progressive Conservative candidate Mike Goosney, who has served two terms as deputy mayor of Deer Lake, says he’s lost weight and his hands are aching after knocking on so many doors through the byelection.
In 2015, Goosney ran for the New Democratic Party against Ball, but chose to run with the PC party in the byelection. Goosney says he believes the district is ready for change.
“No offence to the previous premier, but if you’re sitting as premier you have 39 other districts to look into,” said Goosney.
“It’s having someone local, feet on the ground, lived here, grew up here, helped the people, held the hands of people and all the issues that come with falling through government cracks. None of us are perfect, you’ll find them, and it’s supposed to be continuous improvement. That’s my strength: to be here to work through those types of things with people.”
Newfoundland and Labrador Alliance Leader Graydon Pelley, who flew the Tory banner in the 2015 general election, says the byelection gives a chance for his new party to get a foothold in the House of Assembly.
“I believe the biggest stakes are for the people of Humber-Gros Morne. They have a choice in this election. At the beginning, we were told that we shouldn’t even run a candidate in this. The premier should be able to come in and take his place,” said Pelley.
“We don’t believe that’s the way it should be. It’s the people of Humber-Gros Morne who should elect their representative to the House of Assembly. The Liberals elected a premier a few weeks back, so it’s up to the people to decide who they want to represent them.”
Pelley’s party ran nine candidates in the 2019 general election, which took place just a month after the party was certified as a political party by Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Pelley says getting a voice in the legislature would change politics in the province.
“This would be one of the biggest steps we could ever take,” he said.
“I believe, up to this point, people are really interested and serious about what we are offering as an alternative to the people of Humber-Gros Morne and to the people of the province.”
New Democratic Party candidate Graham Downey-Sutton says the rural areas of the district have been forgotten by previous representatives. He’s pledging to give more attention to those parts of the district.
“When I look at people living in rural areas like Woody Point or Trout River, they have to receive medications three days a week via a bus because the nearest pharmacy is either 45 minutes or an hour away in Norris Point or 45 minutes away in Deer Lake,” said Downey-Sutton.
“Some people, especially elderly people who are on many medications and this bus only transports their medications on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, if they have an appointment at 2 p.m. on a Friday, that means they're not getting their meds until Monday. This is just one thing where if you look at the rural aspect of the district … I really don’t see the benefits of having a premier in the seat.”
Polls close at 8 p.m. island time. Results of the election are estimated to start rolling in around 9 p.m.
