Bloyce Thompson sworn in as new P.E.I. premier, 1 day after Rob Lantz’s resignation

PEI·UpdatedBloyce Thompson has been sworn in as P.E.I.’s 35th premier, one day after Rob Lantz resigned from the role to seek the permanent leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of P.E.I. Thompson is province’s 3rd premier in 1 yearMarilee Devries · CBC News · Posted: Dec 12, 2025 8:20 AM EST | Last Updated: 2 hours agoListen to this articleEstimated 4 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by AI-based technology. Mispronunciations can occur. We are working with our partners to continually review and improve the results.Bloyce Thompson delivers remarks after being sworn in as P.E.I’s 35th premierBloyce Thompson was sworn in Friday as the province’s 35th premier and interim leader of the P.E.I. Progressive Conservatives. He’ll remain in those roles until the party selects its permanent leader at a convention on Feb. 7. Watch Thompson deliver his remarks after being sworn in. Former P.E.I. deputy premier Bloyce Thompson has been sworn in as the province’s 35th premier Friday, one day after Rob Lantz announced his resignation from the role so he could run for the permanent leadership of the province’s Progressive Conservative Party.Thompson was sworn in during a ceremony Friday afternoon at Government House in Charlottetown. He becomes P.E.I.’s third premier in a single year. “I can confidently say when I set out [on] my political journey in 2019, I had no idea that I’d be here today,” Thompson said during his remarks after being sworn in, calling it an honour to be named premier.The ceremony did not include a cabinet shuffle — Thompson will maintain his roles as the minister of justice and public safety, attorney general and minister of agriculture. Bloyce Thompson, centre, poses for photos with supporters after he was sworn in as P.E.I.’s 35th premier during a ceremony at Government House in Charlottetown on Friday. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)As premier, Thompson also becomes the minister responsible for Indigenous affairs and the minister responsible for intergovernmental affairs.He will be interim leader of the P.E.I. PC Party until Feb. 7 when a new permanent leader will be chosen at a leadership convention. Lantz had been the party’s interim leader and the province’s premier since February, when former premier Dennis King resigned.Lantz announced he was officially stepping down as interim leader of P.E.I.’s PC Party in front of a group of supporters and flanked by members of the PC caucus at the Delta Prince Edward on Thursday. Rob Lantz announced Thursday that he was officially stepping down as interim leader of the P.E.I. Progressive Conservative Party and as premier, roles he’d held since late February. He now says he wants to be the party’s leader permanently. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)There are now two candidates in the PC leadership race. The other is lawyer Mark Ledwell, who put his name forward in May.The Official Opposition Liberals elected their new leader, Robert Mitchell, in October, while the Greens chose Matt MacFarlane to lead their party in June. The P.E.I. NDP also have a leadership convention set for Feb. 7, the same day as the PCs. Under P.E.I.’s fixed election date system, the next provincial general election can be held no later than Monday, Oct. 4, 2027, though one could be called sooner.’Politics… wasn’t always part of my plan’Thompson is a third-generation dairy farmer from Frenchfort, about 15 kilometres east of Charlottetown.He first became an MLA in 2019 when he was elected in District 8, Stanhope-Marshfield. He was re-elected in 2023, and was appointed by then-premier Dennis King to be deputy premier, minister of justice and public safety and minister of agriculture.According to his biography on the provincial government website, he is a graduate of Dalhousie Agricultural College and has travelled to the United States, Japan, Portugal and other countries, “lending his professional expertise in bovine livestock breeding to the dairy industry.”Bloyce Thompson, right, is congratulated by Gordon and Frances Coles after being sworn in as P.E.I.’s 35th premier. (Wayne Thibodeau/CBC)In his remarks Friday, Thompson acknowledged “the agriculture industry that has raised me” and said he’d be bringing the values of “a good farmer” to the role of premier.”Growing up as the son of a dairy farmer in Frenchfort, P.E.I., politics certainly wasn’t always part of my plan. But as I got older, the values that were rooted in me as a farmer piqued my interest,” he said.”Things that seem simple, like supporting your neighbours, your community and giving back to people in need. These are all things that I’ve been able to take with me as a cabinet minister over the past six years.” Thompson also thanked his family for their support, saying he was sure his late father was looking down with a smile.”No doubt he’s wondering how the barn work’s going to get done, but it’s going to get done.”