St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi MHA won’t seek re-election, citing personal reasons and the public interest in resolving court casePublished Jun 12, 2025 • 2 minute readProvincial cabinet minister John Abbott, MHA for the district of St. John’s East-Quidi VidiProvincial cabinet minister John Abbott says he will step down as the Member of the House of Assembly for St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi later this summer, as part of a resolution to a court case stemming from Newfoundland and Labrador’s 2021 provincial election. The legal challenge, brought forward by the provincial NDP, centered on alleged significant irregularities in the election process, which took place during the pandemic. 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 contentAbbott said the decision followed lengthy discussions about the cost and practicality of going to trial. “The judge made clear he wanted to bring this to trial, which would have meant subpoenaing over 140 witnesses,” he said. “We looked at what that would mean in terms of time, money, and the impact on the public treasury — and ultimately, whatever decision the judge made, we would have been in a general election within a month or two anyway.“In my view, it would have been pointless to proceed.”Compromise over trial That meant navigating a solution out of court.“To end the court case, we knew we would have to compromise. And the only real option was for me to step down,” he said.Abbott noted that move would “trigger the potential conclusion of the court case itself — if the other parties got what they were looking for, which was an acknowledgement by the NDP that there were irregularities and errors,” he said. Article content“Elections NL had already said publicly that was the case. It doesn’t change the result of the election.” Both sides made clear that Abbott is not accused of any wrongdoing in his participation in the 2021 election.Read More What you need to know about John Abbott stepping down and resolution of the disputed St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi election results from 2021 ‘This was a win for democracy’: Alison Coffin finally celebrates resolution to 2021 NL election battle St. John’s East-Quidi Vidi MHA, Liberal cabinet minister John Abbott answers 20 Questions Public interest decision He described the decision as one made both in the public interest and his own. “That’s how it all played out, and I was prepared to step aside,” he said. His exact resignation date has not been set but will take place later this summer, following the conclusion of constituency work and existing appointments. Article contentAbbott also confirmed he will not be seeking re-election. He was first elected in the 2021 election.In May, he lost the Liberal leadership to Premier John Hogan — it was his second time challenging for the leadership, and Abbott’s second loss.“The Liberal Party is opening nominations, and I had to make a decision. For a whole range of personal reasons, I’ve decided not to run again,” he said.He added that he does not plan to return to elected politics. “The chapter for public office is closed for me now. We need more diversity in our politics, and I’ll be encouraging that — but it won’t be me,” he added.After his resignation, Abbott said he intends to focus on personal matters, travel, and volunteer work, particularly in palliative care. Article content
The chapter for public office is closed for me now: John Abbott confirms political exit
