Burgeo-La Poile MHA Andrew Parsons announces resignation, exit from politics

Alex Kennedy · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 4:54 PM EDT | Last Updated: 16 minutes ago

Andrew Parsons, Newfoundland and Labrador's astir caller vigor curate and MHA for Burgeo-La Poile, has announced his resignation arsenic he steps distant from politics.

Parsons archetypal announced helium wouldn't beryllium moving successful the adjacent wide predetermination successful September, citing a tendency to walk much clip with a young family. On Thursday, helium announced he'll beryllium retired of office effective immediately.

"I consciousness good, due to the fact that I consciousness similar I'm going retired connected my benignant of terms. I consciousness similar we've gotten done the files we request to get done. I consciousness bully astir what we've managed to accomplish," Parsons told CBC News.

Parsons entered provincial authorities successful 2011. He followed his father, Kelvin, who held the aforesaid spot successful the House of Assembly for 13 years.

The adjacent MHA of the territory volition beryllium the archetypal non-Parsons since 1999.

Andrew Parsons held a fig of posts portion the Liberals were the Official Opposition, including serving arsenic the Opposition House leader. In authorities since 2015, helium has been authorities House leader, and has had furniture portfolios successful justice, municipal affairs and environment. 

Parsons said he's known for a portion that helium was acceptable to determination on, but mostly stayed connected owed to his transportation to outgoing Premier Andrew Furey. Furey's last time arsenic premier is Friday, and Parsons said helium didn't privation to load the adjacent leader — either John Abbott oregon John Hogan — with his exit.

"Me and [Furey] are highly close.… He knew past February I was acceptable to locomotion away," he said. "He's been truthful good. It's been an honour to service him."

Whoever the adjacent premier, his occupation volition travel with choosing a caller cabinet — including filling the now-empty ministerial spot for the Department of Industry, Energy and Technology.

Parsons said his exit won't trigger a byelection, and his spot volition alternatively beryllium filled successful the wide predetermination that needs to instrumentality spot this fall. His constituency adjunct volition enactment successful her role, helium said, and helium assured residents they are successful bully hands.

He told CBC he's looking guardant to what comes next, adding helium wouldn't beryllium opposed to returning to his erstwhile assemblage as a lawyer.

"I'm going to aftermath up time and instrumentality my kids to school. And then, I don't know," helium said.

"I was hoping to spot the Montreal [Canadiens] game, but they mislaid that."

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