Paul Davis: 'Allow me a couple of weeks'
Newfoundland and Labrador premier-designate Paul Davis said Monday he will need some time to prepare for the transition of power.
Davis, who won the Progressive Conservative leadership Saturday in a hotly contested race that involved an unexpected third ballot, said he will need about two weeks to put together the team that will run the premier's office and serve in cabinet.
Davis met Sunday afternoon with Premier Tom Marshall, who plans to retire as soon as Davis is sworn in.
"I've asked him to allow me a couple of weeks [for a] transition. I know he's eager," Davis said in an interview with the St. John's Morning Show.
"I'll use the next couple of weeks to develop my team, develop the cabinet and I also need to develop the people that will be working around me. I want a couple of weeks to do that."
Many senior positions in the premier's office had been cleared a few months ago, in advance of what had been expected to be a Frank Coleman coronation. Coleman, though, abandoned his political career in June, just a few weeks before he had been poised to replace Marshall.
Davis defeated John Ottenheimer on the third ballot by a count of 351 to 326, with one spoiled vote.
A similarly spoiled vote on the second ballot played into a bizarre twist, with the party's electoral office declaring that Davis — despite leading Ottenheimer by one vote — did not have the absolute majority needed to win. That triggered a third ballot, with campaign organizers calling back dozens of delegates who had left the convention hall.
The convention floor bristled with some ill feeling after Steve Kent, who placed third on the first ballot, immediately threw his support behind Davis.
Davis said he will work to keep the party united as it heads into a general election that will need to be called within 12 months of when Davis is sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador's 12th premier.
Role for Steve Kent
Davis also played down questions of whether he will reward Kent for helping to ensure his victory.
I would like to have fewer byelections than more byelections, there's no doubt about that- Paul Davis
"Steve Kent is a very capable young man ... He'll be a respected cabinet minister in my government," said Davis.
One of Davis' tasks will be dealing with three expected byelections: one for former finance minister Charlene Johnson, who resigned earlier this month, and two to replace the soon-to-resign Marshall as well as Terry French.
Meanwhile, while choosing a cabinet, Davis indicated that he would prefer that any other members of the PC caucus who plan to retire should either do so quickly or wait until the next election.
"I would like to have fewer byelections than more byelections, there's no doubt about that," he said, adding that he would respect the decision of those who feel compelled to leave for family reasons.