February 15, 1999
(Executive Council)

Cabinet sworn in

The new provincial Cabinet was sworn in today by Lieutenant Governor Dr. A.M. House at Government House.

All members of the Cabinet were re-appointed to their portfolios.

"We had a major Cabinet shuffle in December," noted the premier. "I feel we have a strong team of talented and well suited Cabinet ministers in place along with a strong new mandate from the people of Newfoundland and Labrador. There are a lot of items on the government's agenda, and now is the time to get to work."

The Cabinet includes:

Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture and (Acting) Minister of Development and Rural Renewal - John Efford

Minister of Education - Judy Foote

Minister of Environment and Labour - Oliver Langdon

Minister of Finance and Minister of Justice - Paul Dicks

Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods - Kevin Aylward

Minister of Government Services and Lands and Minister Responsible for Labrador - Ernest McLean

Minister of Health and Community Services - Joan Marie Aylward

Minister of Human Resources and Employment and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women - Julie Bettney

Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology - Sandra Kelly

Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs - Walter Noel

Minister of Mines and Energy - Roger Grimes

Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs - Lloyd Matthews

Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation and Acting Government House Leader - Charles Furey

Minister of Works, Services and Transportation - Rick Woodford

President of Treasury Board - Anna Thistle

Now that the Cabinet has been sworn in, the premier noted that preparations for the 1999 Speech from the Throne are underway as are preparations for the 1999-2000 Budget, both of which are expected next month.

Media contact: Heidi Bonnell, Office of the Premier, (709) 729-3564

John Efford
Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture
MHA-Port de Grave

John Efford was first elected to the House of Assembly in 1985 as a member of the opposition. In this capacity, he was responsible for the Departments of Consumer Affairs, Public Works, Fisheries, Health and Social Services. In 1989, Mr. Efford was re-elected and appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Social Services. After receiving the largest majority win in the 1993 provincial election, Mr. Efford was appointed to Cabinet as Minister of Works, Services and Transportation. Again elected in 1996, he was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture.

Judy Foote
Minister of Education
MHA-Grand Bank

Judy Foote has a varied background as a journalist, volunteer and public servant. Prior to becoming involved in politics, Ms. Foote worked in television journalism with "Here & Now" and as the Director of University Relations at Memorial University of Newfoundland. She was also the Director of Public Relations in the Premier's Office for seven years prior to being elected in the 1996 election. Ms. Foote was Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology before being appointed Minister of Education.

Oliver Langdon
Minister of Environment and Labour
MHA-Fortune Bay-Cape la Hune

Oliver Langdon was a teacher for 24 years, serving 20 of those as a vice-principal. Mr. Langdon's political career began as an elected member of the Point Leamington Town Council in 1970, where he served for 15 years. He also served as the town representative on the School Tax Authority for eight years and on the Newfoundland and Labrador Federation of Municipalities' Board of Directors for five years.

In 1989, Mr. Langdon was first elected to the House of Assembly and re-elected in 1993 and 1996. After the 1996 election, Mr. Langdon became Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier. In July 1997, Mr. Langdon was appointed to the Cabinet, where he is currently Minister of Environment and Labour. He is also a member of the Economic Policy and Social Policy Committees of Cabinet.

Paul Dicks
Minitser of Finance
Minister of Justice
MHA-Humber West

Paul Dicks graduated from Memorial University as the university's recipient of the Gold Medal in Philosophy and the Newfoundland Teachers' Association Medal for Outstanding Student in Education. After being awarded a scholarship at Dalhousie University Law School, Mr. Dicks graduated with an LLB in 1976. He was called to the Bar of Newfoundland in December 1976 and practiced law in Corner Brook from January 1977 to April 1989, when he was elected as the representative for the District of Humber West.

Mr. Dicks was appointed Minister of Justice and Attorney General on May 5, 1989, and held that position until November 1991. He was re-elected in 1993 and was later elected Speaker of the House. In August of 1995, Mr. Dicks was sworn-in as Minister of Finance and Treasury Board. In December 1998, he was appointed Minister of Finance and Minister of Justice.

Kevin Aylward
Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods
MHA-Stephenville

Kevin Aylward attended Memorial University, where he received a Bachelor of Commerce Degree and a Teaching Certificate. He was first elected in the House of Assembly for Stephenville District in 1985 at the age of 24. Mr. Aylward was re-elected in 1989 and served as the Liberal Whip and Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier. In 1993, he was re-elected and named Ministerial Assistant for Small Business. Mr. Alyward was appointed to Cabinet in August 1994 as Minister of Environment. In 1996, he was elected to the newly formed district of St. George's-Stephenville East. Mr. Aylward was appointed Minister of Environment and Labour in March 1996 and then appointed Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods in July 1997.

He is a member of the Economic Policy Committee of Cabinet, the Cabinet Committee on Routine Matters/Appointments and the Cabinet Committee on Rural Revitalization.

Ernest McLean
Minister of Government Services and Land
MHA-Lake Melville

Ernest McLean began public service in 1972 with Grenfell Regional Health Services. Since 1980, he was Regional Manager for the Provincial Department of Municipal and Provincial Affairs in Goose Bay where he administered municipal service programs, including water and sewer and road upgrading for communities throughout Labrador. Mr. McLean was the Mayor of Northwest River, a member of the Labrador East Integrated School Board and a member of the Board of Management for the Melville Hospital. He is currently the Treasurer of the Labrador Heritage Society.

Mr. McLean was elected to office in 1996 and appointed as Minister of Government Services and Lands and Minister Responsible for Labrador in March of 1996.

Joan Marie Aylward
Minister of Health and Community Services
MHA-St. John's Centre

Joan Marie Aylward is a registered nurse and was an intensive care nurse at St. Clare's Mercy Hospital, where she subsequently became a faculty member at the St. Clare's School of Nursing from 1984 to 1990. In 1990, she was elected President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Nurses Union and served in that position for five and a half years.

After she was elected as an MHA in 1996, Ms. Aylward was appointed Minister of the Department of Social Services. In May 1997, she was appointed Minister of Health.

Julie Bettney
Minister of Human Resources and Employment
Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
MHA-Mount Pearl

Julie Bettney has a strong interest in recreation integration for people with disabilities which she developed while teaching physical education and special education in Labrador. Ms. Bettney then worked with the Public Service Commission for 10 years, specializing in supervisory development, communications training, strategic planning and service quality.

She first became involved in politics when she was elected Deputy Mayor of Mount Pearl in 1985. Ms. Bettney was the first woman elected Mayor of Mount Pearl in 1993 and later was elected to the seat for the District of Mount Pearl in the 1996 provincial election. She was appointed Minister of Works, Services and Transportation and Minister responsible for the Status of Women. In May 1997, Ms. Bettney was appointed Minister of Human Resources and Employment, retaining responsibility for the Status of Women.

Sandra Kelly
Minister of Industry, Trade and Technolog
MHA-Gander

Sandra Kelly was trained as nurse at the General Hospital School of Nursing in St. John's and later earned a diploma in Community Health Nursing from Dalhousie University. Ms. Kelly first entered politics in 1985 as the deputy mayor of Gander and was elected as the town's mayor in 1993. During that time, she became involved in community affairs, chairing the Airport Transfer Committee and the Provisional Regional Economic Development Board. Ms. Kelly was also appointed to the Newfoundland and Labrador Round Table on the Environment and the Economy and served on the boards of Cara Transition House, Gander Worldwide Inc., the Waterford Hospital and the Gander and Area Development Corporation.

Ms. Kelly was elected to the House of Assembly in 1993 as the Gander district representative and was soon named Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. In December 1998, she was appointed Minister of Industry, Trade and Technology.

Walter Noel
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
MHA-Virginia Waters

Walter Noel operated his own business in St. John's for 16 years and was previously a president of the St. John's Downtown Development Corporation. During that time, he was an active participant in political affairs and was one of the founders of the Virginia River Conservation Society.

Mr. Noel was first elected in 1989, representing Pleasantville and was re-elected in 1993. In 1996, when the Pleasantville district was eliminated, most of the area became the new district of Virginia Waters where he was elected as its first representative. Mr. Noel focused on economic, national and constitutional issues as an MHA and was a member of Newfoundland's delegations at the Meech Lake and Charlottetown constitutional accords. He was appointed Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs in December 1998.

Roger Grimes
Minister of Mines and Energy
MHA-Exploits

Roger Grimes started out as an educator, teaching in central Newfoundland for 15 years. While teaching, he also served as the President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers' Association and Director of the Canadian Teachers' Federation.

In 1989, Mr. Grimes was elected into the House of Assembly and appointed Parliamentary Assistant to the Premier, a position he held until 1991 when he became Minister of Employment and Labour Relations. After his re-election in 1993, Mr. Grimes was re-appointed to Cabinet and became Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation in 1994. In 1996, after the general election, Mr. Grimes was appointed Minister of Education and in December 1998, he was appointed Minister of Mines and Energy.

Lloyd Matthews
Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs
MHA-St. John's North

Lloyd Matthews was successful in private and public sector careers before entering politics. He began his career in banking and later worked with Revenue Canada. Mr. Matthews is the founding chairperson of both the Children's Wish Foundation of Canada in Newfoundland and St. John's Clean and Beautiful. He has also served in many other volunteer capacities and is currently a member of the St. John's Board of Trade.

In 1993, Mr. Matthews was elected to the House of Assembly and was appointed to the Cabinet as the Minister of Health in August 1994. He was appointed Minister of Works, Services and Transportation in May 1997 and then appointed Minister of Municipal and Provincial Affairs.

Charles Furey
Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation
MHA-St. Barbe

Charles Furey was first elected to the House of Assembly in 1985 and is currently serving his fifth consecutive term for the District of St. Barbe.

In December of 1998, Mr. Furey was appointed as Minister of Tourism, Culture and Recreation. Previously, he had served as Minister for the departments of Development and Tourism, Industry, Trade and Technology and Mines and Energy. Mr. Furey currently serves as a member on all Cabinet committees and is the Chair of the Routine/Appointments Committee and the Communications Committee. He is also the acting Government House Leader.

Rick Woodford
Minister of Works, Services and Transportation
MHA-Humber Valley

Rick Woodford was first elected into the House of Assembly in 1985 and has been re-elected four times since. He was Minister of Rural, Agricultural and Northern Development from January to May 1989. Mr. Woodford has also served as the opposition critic for the departments of Justice, Municipal and Provincial Affairs, Forestry and Agriculture and Industry, Trade and Technology.

Mr. Woodford was appointed Minister of Works, Services and Transportation in December 1998.

Anna Thistle
President of the Treasury Board
MHA-Grand Falls-Buchans

Anna Thistle entered politics as a councillor in the newly amalgamated town of Grand Falls-Windsor and was re-elected in that role in 1993. During this time, she served on all of the council's committees, chairing the Finance, Economic Development and Tourism committees. She was also the manager of the Newfoundland and Labrador Credit Union in Grand Falls-Windsor from 1977 until 1996, when she entered the House of Assembly.

Ms. Thistle is the elected caucus representative to the executive board of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador and is a member of the Public Accounts and Resource Committees. She was appointed President of the Treasury Board in December 1998.

1999 02 15                                   11:30 a.m.