MHA’s are set to be sworn in and take their seats on Monday, April 12. Newly elected members are preparing for the next four years.
Patrick Newhook
Kicker News
Newly elected MHAs will have a lot to learn once the House of Assembly opens.
On Jan. 12, Premier Andrew Furey announced that the province would be having an election.
Initially, the date was set for Feb. 13. Then days before the election was supposed to take place, COVID-19 cases spiked in the province, causing the election to be delayed until the results were finally released on March 27.
After the results came out, it was announced that only six new MHA’s would be entering the house.
One of those new faces entering the House of Assembly is Joedy Wall, the newly elected PC MHA for Cape St. Francis. Wall was the mayor of Pouch Cove and ran as the federal Conservative candidate for St. John’s East in 2019. It’s experience like this that Wall feels will help him as an MHA.
“People remembered me from their doors and remembered the conversations that we had,” Wall said. “That contact was already there. People remembered me from the federal campaign and it proved to be very positive for this provincial one.”
The district of Cape St. Francis covers the northern end of the northeast Avalon Peninsula and contains the towns of Torbay, Flatrock, Bauline, Pouch Cove and Logy Bay-Middle Cove-Outer Cove. It is considered to be a Progressive Conservative stronghold.
MHAs are set to be sworn in soon, something Wall feels both excited and nervous about.
“No doubt it’s going to be exciting and nerve-wracking all at one time,” said Wall. “I’m quite excited to be finally sworn in as the new MHA, and my work has already begun.”
Wall is the only new PC MHA elected to the House of Assembly.
Wall says that he and other new MHAs will have to hit the ground running once members can take their seats again.
“I have a lot to learn, no doubt,” said Wall. “I have a lot to learn about policy procedure in the House, so I am preparing for that now,”
The province currently is facing many difficult issues. MHAs new and old are going to have a lot to handle for the next four years.
“It’s not going to be easy, and I knew that walking into it. My shoulders are big and I think that I can take it as a new MHA,” said Wall. “There’s so much that is going to have to be looked at.”
Right now Wall is focusing on local issues contained within his district.
“What people need to know is what their MHA is there for.” – Newly elected Mount Pearl North MHA Lucy Stoyles
Just south of Cape St. Francis is the district of Mount Pearl North.
Here, newly elected Liberal MHA Lucy Stoyles is preparing to take her seat. Stoyles is originally from Bay De Verde but has been living in Mount Pearl North for around 50 years now.
Before entering provincial politics, Stoyles was a city councillor in Mount Pearl for 25 years.
After spending many years being deeply involved in Mount Pearl municipal politics, Stoyles is excited to be starting a new chapter and getting sworn in.
“I’m excited for something new. I like change and I’m looking forward to a new chapter in my life it’s going to be different no doubt,” said Stoyles.
Mount Pearl North is geographically small and densely populated, containing northern parts of Mount Pearl and parts of St. John’s.
Stoyles has been preparing by talking to community organizations and groups in her district.
“What I’ve been doing this week since I’ve been elected, I’ve reached out to a lot of the community groups, I’ve reached out to support groups, I’ve been in contact with all the churches,” said Stoyles. “What people need to know is what their MHA is there for.”
Similar to Wall, Stoyles feels that newly elected MHA’s will have to be prepared once the house opens to discuss some tough topics.
“In the beginning, I think that I need to sit back and take it in and learn from some of the people who’ve been there a long time.”
Members will be sworn into the legislature on April 12.
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