Battle of Honey Springs

Andrew John Furey MHA FRCSC (born July 22, 1975) is a Canadian politician and surgeon who has served as the 14th premier of Newfoundland and Labrador since August 19, 2020. A member of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party, Furey represents Humber-Gros Morne in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. As of 2024, he is the only premier of a province whose government is controlled by the Liberal Party.

Early life and career

Furey was born in St. John's in July 22, 1975.[1][2] His father George Furey, a school principal and barrister, was appointed to the Senate of Canada in 1999 and served as the speaker of the Senate of Canada from 2015 until his retirement in 2023.[3] His uncle Chuck Furey was MHA for St. Barbe and subsequently served as a cabinet minister in the provincial governments of Clyde Wells and Brian Tobin.[4]

Raised in St. John's, Furey earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) and graduated from the MUN School of Medicine in 2001. He would later accept a Fellowship in orthopedic trauma from R Adams Cowley Shock Trauma Center, University of Maryland in Baltimore, U.S., from 2006–2007,[5] before returning to Newfoundland to practise medicine at his own clinic. He was later named Memorial University of Newfoundland's Alumnus of the Year in 2012, and became a recipient of the Ignatian Spirit Award in 2015.[6] He also completed a diploma in organizational leadership from the University of Oxford that same year.[1] In 2017, Furey was named the Canadian Red Cross' humanitarian of the year for Newfoundland and Labrador.[7]

Philanthropic work

In 2011, Furey co-founded Team Broken Earth, a volunteer task force supporting the relief effort in Haiti following the 2010 earthquake.[8][9] By 2013, the organization assisted hundreds of patients a week in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, with Furey often personally leading the missions there.[10] The organization's efforts were temporarily halted in 2019 due to safety concerns amid rising violence in the country.[11]

Furey also co-founded the "A Dollar a Day" foundation alongside singer-songwriter Alan Doyle and businessman Brendan Paddick, which aims to provide funding for mental health initiatives in Newfoundland and Labrador.[12] In addition to this, Furey also serves as the co-chair for the Jack Hand Foundation.[6]

In 2020, Furey released a book, Hope in the Balance: A Newfoundland Doctor Meets a World in Crisis, discussing his experiences in Haiti.[13]

Political career

Furey first expressed interest in entering politics in 2015, saying that his work with Team Broken Earth "left me with a want and desire to do more".[14] Speculation that Furey was being pitched to replace incumbent Premier Dwight Ball emerged as early as 2017.[15]

When Ball announced his eventual resignation in February 2020, Furey quickly became a potential contender and was almost immediately regarded as the frontrunner to succeed him.[16] Furey announced his intention to run for the leadership of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party on March 3, 2020 in St. John's,[17] and he was swiftly endorsed by the majority of Ball's cabinet.[18] On August 3, 2020, he was elected leader at the party's convention, receiving approximately two-thirds of votes cast.[19] On August 19, 2020, Furey was formally sworn in as Premier, along with his provincial cabinet.[20]

As Furey did not hold a seat in the legislature, he announced on September 7, 2020 that he would contest the by-election for Ball's former seat of Humber-Gros Morne.[21] On October 6, 2020 Furey won the by-election in Humber-Gros Morne.[22][23]

On January 15, 2021, Furey asked for consent from Lieutenant Governor Judy Foote to dissolve the House of Assembly to call for an election in order to obtain a stronger mandate in the form of a majority government.[24] The election was originally scheduled for February 13, 2021, but a COVID-19 outbreak in St. John's forced Elections NL to switch to a mail-in election, cancelling in-person voting for all districts.[25][26][27][28] The deadline was set on March 25, 2021, and the results were announced on March 27, 2021, with Furey's Liberals winning a majority government.[29][30]

On June 23, 2021, Furey announced Nalcor Energy would be dismantled and folded into Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro.[31]

On December 23, 2021, during the Omicron variant outbreak that put over 1,000 health-care workers in isolation, Furey helped administer vaccines to current and retired public service workers and their families at the Confederation Building.[32] Furey then travelled to Labrador, particularly Happy Valley-Goose Bay, on January 3, 2022, to help a team of physicians administer vaccines.[33] Furey then travelled to Bell Island to help administer vaccines on January 13, 2022.

On January 30, 2024, Liberal candidate Fred Hutton was elected in the Conception Bay East - Bell Island by-election gaining the seat from the Progressive Conservatives.[34]

Personal life

Furey resides in Portugal Cove–St. Philip's.[1] He is married to Allison Furey and they have three children: Rachel, Maggie and Mark.[35] His wife works as an emergency physician at the Janeway Children's Health and Rehabilitation Centre in St. John's. She was part of a 9-person, federally-funded volunteer team sent to Toronto to help with surging hospitalizations during the COVID-19 pandemic in Ontario in April 2021.[36]

Electoral record

2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election: Humber-Gros Morne
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andrew Furey 2,838 63.96 +0.01
Progressive Conservative Jim Goudie 1,492 33.63 +8.58
New Democratic Sheina Lerman 107 2.41 +0.14
Total valid votes 4,437
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Liberal hold Swing -4.28
Source(s)
"Officially Nominated Candidates General Election 2021" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
"NL Election 2021 (Unofficial Results)". Retrieved 27 March 2021.
Humber-Gros Morne - By-election, 6 October 2020
Resignation of Dwight Ball
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Andrew Furey 3,401 63.95 -5.99
Progressive Conservative Mike Goosney[37] 1,332 25.05 -5.01
NL Alliance Graydon Pelley[38][39] 464 8.73 +8.73
New Democratic Graham Downey-Sutton[40] 121 2.28 +2.28
Total valid votes 5,318 55.11 -13.00
Eligible voters 9,650[41]
Liberal hold Swing -0.49
2020 Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election [42][43]
Candidate Ballot 1
Name Votes Points
Andrew Furey 13,645
64.42%		 26,443
66.11%
John Abbott 7,537
35.58%		 13,557
33.89%
Total 21,182 40,000

References

  1. ^ a b c Maher, David (July 26, 2020). "Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal leadership hopeful Andrew Furey's vision for the future, plus a glimpse at his past". The Telegram. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  2. ^ Dooley, Danette (19 January 2013). "20 Questions: Dr. Andrew Furey". The Telegram. St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved 31 August 2021.
  3. ^ Galloway, Gloria (December 3, 2015). "Liberals to set up advisory board for Senate nominees, but B.C. won't take part" – via www.theglobeandmail.com.
  4. ^ "Furey steps down as electoral officer". CBC News. March 28, 2007. Retrieved 2015-12-15.
  5. ^ "Professional Profile – Dr. Andrew Furey". andrewfurey.ca. Archived from the original on 2018-01-17.
  6. ^ a b "Ignatian Spirit Award, 2015 Recipient – Dr. Andrew Furey". St. Bonaventure's College. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  7. ^ "Andrew Furey, founder of Team Broken Earth, named Red Cross humanitarian of the year". CBC News. June 16, 2017.
  8. ^ "Team Broken Earth will keep going as long as there is a need: Dr. Andrew Furey". The Telegram. October 20, 2017. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  9. ^ "Newfoundland & Labrador – TeamBrokenEarth". brokenearth.ca. Retrieved 2021-05-15.
  10. ^ Sage, Amanda (11 May 2013). "Dr. Andrew Furey, surgeon-educator-leader-healer". Kickass Canadians. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  11. ^ Kelly, Janelle (October 5, 2019). "Team Broken Earth delays mission to Haiti amid escalating violence". CBC News.
  12. ^ McNeish, Sam (6 February 2018). "A Dollar A Day foundation launches in St. John's, aims to change front lines of mental health". The Telegram. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  13. ^ "From premier to published author: Andrew Furey releases book about work in Haiti". CBC News. Oct 13, 2020. Retrieved Oct 13, 2020.
  14. ^ "Political life a 'noble calling', says surgeon Andrew Furey". CBC News. 13 April 2015. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  15. ^ "No immediate plans to enter politics, Andrew Furey says amid rumours". NTV News. 19 October 2017. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  16. ^ "With Deadline Looming, Still No Contenders for Liberal Leadership". No. 27 February 2020. VOCM. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  17. ^ Maher, David (March 3, 2020). "Andrew Furey launches bid for Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal leadership". The Telegram. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  18. ^ McKenzie-Sutter, Holly (5 March 2020). "Nearly all of Dwight Ball's cabinet backs Andrew Furey as he enters N.L. Liberal leadership race". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  19. ^ Maher, David (August 3, 2020). "Andrew Furey becomes premier-designate, will become 14th premier of Newfoundland and Labrador". Saltwire Network. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  20. ^ "Andrew Furey takes office as 14th premier of N.L., names cabinet". CBC News. 19 August 2020. Retrieved 19 August 2020.
  21. ^ "Ball resigns as MHA, Furey will run in his place". CBC News. 7 September 2020. Retrieved 7 September 2020.
  22. ^ "N.L. Premier Andrew Furey wins byelection, seat in House of Assembly". CBC News. Oct 6, 2020. Retrieved Oct 6, 2020.
  23. ^ "Andrew Furey Takes Humber-Gros Morne Byelection and Secures Seat in Legislature". VOCM News. Oct 6, 2020. Retrieved Oct 6, 2020.
  24. ^ "N.L. heading to the polls on Feb. 13 as Andrew Furey seeks Liberal majority". CBC News. 15 January 2021. Retrieved 23 August 2020.
  25. ^ "COVID-19 count soars to 30 in N.L., as Fitzgerald orders 'circuit breaker' for St. John's region". CBC News. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  26. ^ "N.L. logs record 30 new COVID-19 cases, implements 'circuit breaker' in St. John's". CTV News. 2021-02-09. Archived from the original on February 9, 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-16.
  27. ^ "'Hold fast Newfoundland and Labrador': Province confirms outbreak of U.K. COVID-19 variant". Global News. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  28. ^ Jackson, Peter (2021-02-12). "Back to Alert Level 5: Newfoundland and Labrador on full lockdown with arrival of COVID-19 variant; voting will now be by mail-in ballot only". The Chronicle Herald. Archived from the original on February 13, 2021. Retrieved 2021-02-13.
  29. ^ Mullin, Malone (27 March 2021). "Liberals claim slim majority in Newfoundland and Labrador, as voters tap Furey to lead". CBC News. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  30. ^ "Here are all the MHAs elected in the Newfoundland and Labrador election". CBC News. March 27, 2021.
  31. ^ "Nalcor Energy to be no more: Crown corporation being folded into N.L. Hydro". CBC News. June 23, 2021.
  32. ^ Ward, Nick. "Premier Furey Helps Administer Booster Doses at Local Clinic". VOCM. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
  33. ^ Furey, Andrew (January 3, 2022). "Andrew Furey on Twitter". Twitter. Retrieved 2022-01-19.
  34. ^ "Fred Hutton Elected MHA for Conception Bay East-Bell Island". VOCM. January 30, 2024.
  35. ^ "Family Life in Newfoundland". Dr. Andrew Furey. 2017-04-25. Retrieved 2020-08-04.
  36. ^ "Small team, 'big impact': N.L. medical volunteers depart for Ontario". CBC News. April 27, 2021. Retrieved April 27, 2021.
  37. ^ Connors, Michael [@MikeConnors] (September 9, 2020). "Mike Goosney officially has the Tory nomination for the byelection in Humber-Gros Morne. #nlpoli" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  38. ^ NL Alliance [@alliance_nl] (August 10, 2020). "***ANNOUNCEMENT*** The Provincial Executive is pleased to announce that Graydon Pelley (@gepelley) will represent NL Alliance in the District of Humber-Gros Morne in the next Provincial Election #nlpoli #workingtogetherforchange #jointheteam https://t.co/g1KtzKzjkH" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  39. ^ Bradshaw, Don [@DonBradshawNTV] (September 9, 2020). "It's official. Nfld and Labrador Alliance party leader Graydon Pelley says he will be a candidate in the upcoming by-election in Humber-Gros Morne; the seat vacated by former Premier Dwight Ball earlier this week. Pelley speaks exclusively with @NTVNewsNL tonight at 6 pm. @nlpoli https://t.co/ltDJG36eef" (Tweet). Retrieved 3 January 2021 – via Twitter.
  40. ^ Michael Connors [@MikeConnors] (September 14, 2020). "Graham Downey-Sutton has been nominated as the NDP candidate for the Humber-Gros Morne byelection" (Tweet). Retrieved 14 September 2019 – via Twitter.
  41. ^ Crocker, Diane (6 October 2020). "Slow start at the polls in Humber-Gros Morne". The Telegram.
  42. ^ "Andrew Furey wins Liberal leadership race, will become 14th premier of N.L." Retrieved 3 August 2020.
  43. ^ Maher, David (4 August 2020). "Vote breakdown revealed in Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal leadership race". The Telegram. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Furey