The first night of the Liberal Party of NL’s leadership convention bid farewell to Furey through sharing funny memories and touching momentsPublished May 02, 2025 • 5 minute readPremier Andrew Furey takes the stage at the JAG Soundhouse for the first night of the Liberal Party of NL’s leadership convention and final appearance as premier. Cameron Kilfoy/The Telegram Photo by Cameron Kilfoy/The TelegramNight One of the Liberal Leadership Convention was filled with sombre and cheerful moments of praise and thanks towards Premier Andrew Furey and his contribution as the province’s 14th premier. While there was a slide show of his constituents and videos from former premiers and prime ministers, such as Dwight Ball, Justin Trudeau and Jean Chrétien, thanking him, some of the most wholesome moments of the night came from messages shared by Furey’s family.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentHis son Mark shared a video message saying how proud he was of him, thanking his dad for always making time for him. While he said one of his favourite parts of his father being premier was the snacks at his office, Mark concluded his message by saying how he was looking forward to having him home more. Furey’s daughter, Maggie, also shared something special: a surprise performance of the song Homeward Bound by Marta Keen. Maggie chose the song because it speaks to the heart of service, sacrifice and coming home; she received a standing ovation for her performance. His eldest daughter, Rachel, and his father, George Furey, whom he called his most trusted advisor, introduced the man of the hour. Rachel, like her brother, said that while NL is saying goodbye, his family is saying, “Welcome home, Dad.” George shared how he believed his son’s legacy would be measured. “Your legacy is not just measured in policies and legislation, it is measured in the lives you have touched and the dignity you have restored,” said George. Article content Rachel Furey, Premier Andre Furey’s eldest daughter and his father, George Furey, introduced him during the first night of the Liberal Party of NLs leadership convention. Photo by Cameron Kilfoy/The TelegramLook back at Furey’s tenureWhile the night was filled with plenty of thanks from not only his family but also staff, the president of the Liberal Party of NL and recently re-elected MP for St. John’s East, Joanne Thompson, it was also a night to look back on who Furey was and his achievements as premier. Furey, an orthopedic surgeon and founder of Team Broken Earth, entered politics in 2020. His time as premier saw NL navigate COVID-19, face economic uncertainty, and strike high-profile energy deals. He has several key accomplishments he feels he’s obtained in his tenure, which he previously shared with The Telegram, including helping mould the health-care system to meet the needs of the people of NL, being part of the first increase in the K-12 population since 1971, and the resettlement of Ukrainians to NL.His proudest moment, however, was serving as next of kin for the Unknown Soldier.Though he is leaving the political arena, Furey is returning to his first love and passion as a surgeon. Furey stated on his last day in the province’s legislature that he was proud of his team and the record of the past five years, and that he would miss his team and members opposite.Article contentSaying thanksWhen Furey took the stage, for what was his final appearance as premier of the province, he said it comes with many different emotions. “I’m so proud of what we were able to accomplish together, and I know that I will certainly miss the excitement of having my hands on the provincial wheel,” said Furey. “It is a job I have never taken for granted.” Furey also thanked his family for standing by him, his colleagues and friends, his father and mother, Karen, as well as his predecessor, Dwight Ball, and his district of Humber-Gros Morne. “I feel incredibly blessed to have helped pen another chapter in our province’s history,” said Furey. He added that his government has built positive momentum, and it’s now up to a new leader to pick it up and keep pushing it forward. Premier Andrew Furey poses for a selfie with supporters at a Liberal event at the Delta hotel Wednesday night. The Liberal Party of NLs annual event was hosted at the Delta Hotel on March 12, 2025. Photo by Keith Gosse/The TelegramHow will the new leader be chosen?The new leader of the Liberal Party of NL and the province’s 15th premier will be chosen on May 3. The two candidates hoping to secure the title, John Abbott and John Hogan — former cabinet ministers under Furey’s government — made their final pleas to voters just earlier this week.Article contentThe voting process for choosing a new leader has already begun, said Judy Morrow, the chairperson of the 2025 Liberal leadership election committee.Voting began on April 24 and will close on Saturday, May 3, at noon. There are 14,000 registered voters.Voters don’t have to be delegates or officials, she said; it can be anyone ages 14 and up who supports the party’s aims. Votes are cast via telephone or electronically, and registered voters all received a PIN to cast their vote.Morrow said the winner isn’t decided on raw vote count but a point-based system, which has been in place for the past three elections.“All 40 districts are equally weighted. So it’s not a matter of just getting the popular vote, we’ll say, it is a matter of getting the broad representation throughout all 40 districts,” said Morrow.How does the point system work?Morrow said that each district is allotted 1,000 points. So, if one candidate receives 75 per cent of the vote in a particular district, they are allotted 750 points, while the other receives 250 points. Article contentThe first candidate to reach 20,001 points will be the next Liberal leader of NL, said Morrow. Before the winner is announced, Morrow said that videos of both candidates on the campaign trail will be shown, followed by a Q&A with the pair. After the Q&A, the Chief Returning Officer, Keith White, and party president, Ashley Power Stack, will be called to the stage to validate the results through a third-party vendor and auditor and announce the winner. Read More Back to the operating room as early as next week: Premier Furey’s last day in NL legislature was April 16 Which John will win? Liberals will choose Abbott or Hogan as next leader May 3 Once the winner has been announced, they will give their victory speech, followed by media scrums and celebrations.No internal meetings are scheduled for Saturday, and the transition planning would begin on Sunday or Monday. Morrow was not able to say when the new leader would be sworn in as premier or choose their cabinet. She expects that will be rolled out as part of the transition process.Article content
‘Welcome home, Dad’: Fureys family excited as he makes final appearance as premier
