Executive Council
September 5, 2014
Premier Marshall Announces New Cabinet Appointments
The Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced that the Honourable Ross Wiseman, Speaker of the House of Assembly, has been appointed Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board. The Honourable Susan Sullivan, Minister of Innovation, Business and Rural Development, assumes the role of Minister Responsible for the Status of Women.
“I am very pleased that Mr. Wiseman has agreed to serve as Minister of Finance. He has provided leadership over many years in various portfolios, most notably as Minister of Health and Community Services and Minister of Environment and Conservation. I also thank Minister Sullivan for accepting the duties of the Status of Women. She has a thorough knowledge of the portfolio having served in this capacity previously.”
- The Honourable Tom Marshall, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Premier also thanked outgoing Finance Minister Charlene Johnson for her years of service to the people of the province.
“Charlene Johnson, in her short time as Finance Minister, has demonstrated the kind of leadership that brings people together and gets important work accomplished. I thank Charlene on behalf of Cabinet, caucus and all the people of Newfoundland and Labrador for her service to the province.”
- Premier Marshall
The appointments are effective immediately. Wade Verge, current deputy speaker of the House of Assembly, will assume the duties of Speaker.
Biographical information is provided in the backgrounder below.
BACKGROUNDER
Hon. Ross Wiseman, Member for Trinity North
Ross Wiseman, MHA for Trinity North, was first elected in a by-election on April 25, 2000. Prior to entering political life, he had a successful 15-year career in health administration with the Peninsulas Health Care Corporation and the former Clarenville Area Hospital Board. He also has extensive experience in the financial services industry, having held several branch and regional management positions throughout Newfoundland and Labrador.
While a Member in the House of Assembly, Mr. Wiseman has served as the deputy chair of Public Accounts Committee and chaired the Provincial Advisory Council on Aging and Seniors.
On September 26, 2001, he was appointed the Opposition Critic for Health and Community Services. Following his victory in the General Election in the District of Trinity North on October 21, 2003, Mr. Wiseman was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Health and Community Services. On January 19, 2007, he was appointed Minister of Health and Community Services.
On October 9, 2007, he was re-elected to the House of Assembly and subsequently appointed Minister of Health and Community Services on October 30. He was appointed Minister of Business on July 9, 2009. On January 13, 2011, he was appointed Minister of Environment and Conservation.
On October 11, 2011, Mr. Wiseman was once again re-elected as the Member for Trinity North, and on October 27, 2011, he was elected as Speaker of the House of Assembly.
Susan Sullivan, Member for Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans
Susan Sullivan was born and raised in Grand Falls-Windsor and is fiercely proud of her hometown and its rich legacy of social, cultural, and economic leadership.
Minister Sullivan has a Bachelor of Arts (French major) and a Bachelor of Education from Memorial University. She has a Masters of Education (literacy) from Mount St. Vincent University and a French immersion diploma from l'Université Laval.
She retired in June of 2007 following a 30-year teaching career, working the last seven years as the French Department Head for the Centre for Distance Learning and Innovation where she taught senior high French to all parts of the province via the Internet.
In the 2005 municipal election, Minister Sullivan was elected Deputy Mayor of Grand Falls-Windsor, serving as Chair of the Public Works and Engineering Committee and the 2006 Salmon Festival. She was a member of the Economic Development and Tourism Committee, the Finance and Human Resources Committee, and the Post Secondary Education Committee. She was also a director of the EXCITE Corporation and a board member of the Exploits Valley Economic Development Corporation where she served on the Municipalities Committee as well as the Education and IT Committees.
Minister Sullivan entered provincial politics when she was elected to the House of Assembly in the deferred general election in the District of Grand Falls-Windsor - Buchans on November 6, 2007, and in October 2008 was appointed Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment; Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities; Minister Responsible for the Labour Relations Agency; and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs. Minister Sullivan has also served as Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development; Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat; Minister Responsible for the Status of Women; and Minister of Health and Community Services.
Wade Verge, Member for Lewisporte
Mr. Verge grew up in the small town of Beachside in Green Bay. He graduated from high school in 1979 and enrolled as a full-time student at Memorial University in September of the same year. He presently holds a Bachelor of Science degree with a major in mathematics, a Bachelor of Education degree and a Masters degree in Educational Leadership.
Mr. Verge worked for 22 years as a teacher and school principal. In his career he was an active member and supporter of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers Association. He served six years as President of the Notre Dame Branch of NLTA, six years as regional president of the School Administrators Council, two years as provincial President of School Administrators Council, one year on the Executive of Canadian Association of Principals and he was also elected to the Provincial Executive of NLTA.
In October 2007, Mr. Verge was first elected to the House of Assembly. On October 11, 2011, he was re-elected to the House of Assembly.
2014 09 05 3:10 p.m.