John Abbott resigns from cabinet, announces bid for Liberal leadership and premier

St. John's area MHA John Abbott formally declared his candidacy Tuesday to become the next leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, and the province's next premier.

With the shadow of a trade war between Canada and the United States weighing heavily in the public's consciousness, Abbott held a low-key news conference in the lobby of Confederation Building, with only a handful of supporters on hand. He said he will launch his campaign in the days ahead.

"I have the passion for this province. I have a passion for good governance. I have a deep knowledge of public policy. I know how to work with people and bring them onside. And I think bringing all that together, I can make a difference in the trajectory of this province going forward," Abbott told reporters.

Abbott resigned Tuesday morning as the minister responsible for housing, mental health and addictions in order to focus on his campaign.

He is the first person to confirm that he will enter the race to succeed Premier Andrew Furey, who shook up the political landscape a week ago when he announced he will leave office after his successor is selected. Furey has been premier for four-and-a-half years, and said he will return to his career as a surgeon.

Several other high-profile Liberals have also indicated they are considering a bid for the leadership, including provincial cabinet ministers John Hogan and Bernard Davis, and outgoing Labrador MP Yvonne Jones.

A new party leader, who will automatically become premier, will be selected May 3 during a convention in St. John's. 

Candidates have until March 24 to formally submit their nomination to the leadership committee, along with a $50,000 nomination fee and the signatures of at least 50 supporters from at least 10 of the 40 districts in the province.

A halted bid for federal politics

Abbott is a supporter of Mark Carney, who is a front-runner to become the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and the next prime minister, and had planned to seek the federal Liberal nomination in the new riding of Cape Spear.

But Abbott shelved those plans following Furey's unexpected announcement.

Abbott said he wanted to be this province's voice in Ottawa as Canada fights back against President Donald Trump's punishing tariffs, but he quickly recalibrated after Furey's announcement.

"I can best contribute here," he said, referring to his ambition to become the 15th premier.

Abbott is one of 22 Liberal MHAs in the House of Assembly, but none of his elected colleagues joined him for his announcement.

When asked about this, Abbott said he has the support of some MHAs, but did not offer any names.

"We have decided today will be for me to state my case," he said.

Abbott worked a long career as a senior public servant, and in the private sector, before squaring off against Andrew Furey in 2020 for the Liberal leadership.

Furey won the leadership contest, and Abbott later won a narrow victory in St. John's East-Quidi Vidi during the 2021 provincial election. In his four years as a government member, Abbott served in three different cabinet positions, and says he's proven himself each time.

He said Canada is now "at war" economically with the United States, and he is the right person to lead this province.

"The leader that comes out of this race has to be ready on Day 1 to take on this job. I know government. I know this province. I believe I know the people of this province well," he said.

The party has set a spending limit of $200,000 for the candidates, and although the party has not definitively stated that the candidates will have to disclose the source of their contributions, Abbott said he will.

Abbott said he spent $212,000 in the 2020 leadership contest.

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