New ag minister named for Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador’s new premier John Hogan has turned to Labrador to find the province’s new ag minister.

Lisa Dempster, the MHA for the southeastern Labrador riding of Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair, was sworn in on May 9 as minister for fisheries, forestry and agriculture, replacing Gerry Byrne.

Dempster was also promoted from deputy house leader to house leader for the Liberal government bench, and keeps a previous post as minister of Labrador affairs.

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Hogan’s cabinet shuffle follows the former health minister’s May 3 election as Liberal party leader, which made him the designate to replace outgoing premier Andrew Furey, who had announced his resignation on Feb. 25.

Dempster was a career and employment counsellor and served as deputy mayor for Charlottetown — a small Labrador town devoted mainly to shrimp harvesting and processing — before she entered provincial politics on the opposition benches in a 2013 byelection.

Since Dwight Ball led the Liberals back to power in the province in 2015, Dempster has served in several cabinet posts, most recently as Furey’s minister for Indigenous affairs and reconciliation, minister for Labrador affairs and deputy government house leader.

Among other portfolios in Hogan’s cabinet of interest to farmers, Pam Parsons becomes minister for rural economic development and Scott Reid, minister for environment and climate change. The cabinet also includes two former provincial ag ministers: Byrne, who’d returned to that post last July, now becomes minister for jobs, immigration and growth, while Elvis Loveless becomes minister for transportation and infrastructure.

The provincial house of assembly, which broke for Easter on April 18, resumed sitting on May 12.

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