The Honourable Dwight Ball, Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, today announced changes to his Cabinet.

The changes include the Honourable Christopher Mitchelmore, Member for St. Barbe – L’Anse aux Meadows, who has been appointed Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs; the Honourable Perry Trimper, Member for Lake Melville, who has been appointed Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, and Minister Responsible for the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, and Registrar General; and the Honourable Bernard Davis, Member for Virginia Waters – Pleasantville, who has been appointed Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.

Biographies of the ministers are included in the backgrounder below.

The following is a list of all other Cabinet Ministers:

• Premier, President of Executive Council, Minister for Intergovernmental and Indigenous Affairs, Minister Responsible for Labrador Affairs – The Honourable Dwight Ball
• Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board, Minister Responsible for the Human Resource Secretariat, Minister Responsible for the Office of the Chief Information Officer, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation and Minister Responsible for the Public Service Commission – The Honourable Tom Osborne
• Minister of Justice and Public Safety, Attorney General and Government House Leader – The Honourable Andrew Parsons
• Minister of Transportation and Works – The Honourable Steve Crocker
• Minister of Fisheries and Land Resources – The Honourable Gerry Byrne
• Minister of Natural Resources and Deputy Government House Leader – The Honourable Siobhan Coady
• Minister of Service NL, Minister Responsible for the Public Procurement Agency and Minister Responsible for Workplace NL – The Honourable Sherry Gambin – Walsh
• Minister of Health and Community Services – The Honourable John Haggie
• Minister of Children, Seniors and Social Development, Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation and Minister Responsible for the Status of Persons with Disabilities – The Honourable Lisa Dempster
• Minister Responsible for the Status of Women – The Honourable Carol Ann Haley
• Minister of Education and Early Childhood Development – The Honourable Brian Warr

The following senior executive appointments have been made effective today within the Executive:

• Jamie Chippett is appointed as Deputy Minister, Service NL
• Sean Dutton is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Transportation and Works
• Tracy King is appointed as Deputy Minister of the Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment

Biographies of the deputy ministers are included in the backgrounder below.

Quote
“I look forward to the unique skillsets and fresh ideas that the ministers and deputy ministers will bring to their new roles. Our government will continue to build upon the strong foundation we have created by engaging business, community, cultural, and Indigenous leaders. By growing our economy, creating jobs, and providing better services and outcomes for residents, we are making Newfoundland and Labrador an ideal place to live, work, and raise a family.”
Honourable Dwight Ball
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador

– 30 –

Media contact
Geoff Higdon
Office of the Premier
709-729-3558
geoffhigdon@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER

Biographical Information for Ministers

Hon. Christopher Mitchelmore, Member for St. Barbe – L’Anse aux Meadows
Christopher Mitchelmore was first elected to the House of Assembly in 2011 and was re-elected in November 2015 and May 2019. He is from Green Island Cove, a small fishing village on the Great Northern Peninsula. Mr. Mitchelmore has a Bachelor of Commerce Honours (Co-op) degree from Memorial University, with international study experience in the United Kingdom and at the University of Economics in the Czech Republic. He worked with the Department of Innovation, Business, and Rural Development; the Newfoundland and Labrador Board of Commissioners of Public Utilities (PUB); and London Offshore Consultants. Prior to entering politics, Mr. Mitchelmore worked as a client services officer and a youth ventures coordinator with the Community Business Development Corporation (CBDC) Nortip. He has an extensive track record of community involvement, including time as vice president of the Straits – St. Barbe Chronic Care Corporation and director and member of the Canadian Community Economic Development Network. He was appointed Minister of Business, Tourism, Culture and Rural Development on December 14, 2015. On February 27, 2017, he was sworn in as the Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation, and on September 6, 2019 was sworn in as the Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Labour and Minister Responsible for Francophone Affairs.

Hon. Perry Trimper, Member for Lake Melville
Perry Trimper is an environmental scientist with 30 years of experience in resource development in northern regions. He has worked on projects in Labrador, elsewhere in Canada, and internationally in such locales as Russia, Ukraine, and Turkmenistan. Prior to his candidacy for the Liberal Party, Mr. Trimper worked as the principal scientist with Stantec Consulting Limited. Other highlights from his distinguished career include managing Innu and Inuit partnership companies on behalf of Stantec and taking a lead scientist role in several environmental assessments, including the Voisey’s Bay mine, all three phases of the Trans-Labrador Highway and the Lower Churchill hydroelectric development. He also managed socio-economic development projects in the former Soviet Union on behalf of the UN, CIDA, and the World Bank. Mr. Trimper has been involved in many community organizations in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, including the Ground Search and Rescue Team, the Labrador Winter Games, the Labrador Heritage Society and the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce. Before becoming Speaker in August 2017, he was a Cabinet Minister in various roles including Environment and Climate Change, Service NL, and Francophone Affairs. On September 6, 2019 he was sworn in as the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, and Minister Responsible for Multi-Materials Stewardship Board, and Registrar General.

Hon. Bernard Davis, Member for Virginia Waters – Pleasantville
Bernard Davis is a lifelong resident of St. John’s, a dedicated community volunteer, and someone who is committed to enhancing and promoting community development issues across the province. A graduate of Memorial University (Bachelor of Commerce), Bernard served as the Executive Director and Program Coordinator of the Church Lad’s Brigade (C.L.B.) and as an elected Councillor at St. John’s City Hall before entering provincial politics. In 2015 Bernard was elected to represent the District of Virginia Waters – Pleasantville, and since then has served as Parliamentary Secretary to both the Minister of Health and Community Services and Minister of Service NL. On November 8, 2018, he was sworn in as the Minister Responsible for Advanced Education, Skills and Labour, and on September 6, 2019 was sworn in as Minister of Tourism, Culture, Industry and Innovation.

Biographical Information for Deputy Ministers

Jamie Chippett

Jamie Chippett joined the provincial public service of Newfoundland and Labrador in 2001. In his most recent appointment, he was the Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs and Environment, a portfolio he has occupied since February of 2017, including responsibility for Fire Services, Emergency Services, and the Climate Change Branch. From February 2017 to January 2019, he also served as the Chair of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board. Previous appointments included Deputy Minister of Municipal Affairs (2015), Deputy Minister of Environment and Conservation and member of the Multi-Materials Stewardship Board of Directors (2013), and Deputy Minister of Transportation and Works including a seat on the Transportation Association of Canada Board of Directors (2011). His earliest executive appointments included the positions of Deputy Clerk of the Executive Council and Associate Secretary to Cabinet and Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Economic Policy). Prior to his executive roles, Mr. Chippett held a variety of policy-related positions with the Departments of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs; Tourism, Culture and Recreation; Executive Council; and the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat. Mr. Chippett holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) and Masters of Science from Memorial University and has completed the Queen’s University Public Executive Program. He is active in the choral community in the province as a member of Newman Sound Men’s Choir and as a member of the Board of Directors of Lady Cove Woman’s Choir.

Sean Dutton

Mr. Dutton started his career with the provincial government in 1994 as an Analyst with the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat, where he also worked as a Senior Analyst, Director of Resource and Economic Policy, Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister. His other roles within the provincial public service have included Cabinet Officer with Executive Council; Assistant Deputy Minister and Deputy Minister of the Department of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs; Deputy Minister of the Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs Secretariat; Deputy Minister (Core Mandate Analysis), Executive Council; Chief Executive Officer of Fire and Emergency Services – Newfoundland and Labrador; Deputy Minister of Procurement, Government Purchasing Agency; interim Chief Procurement Officer, Public Procurement Agency; and, most recently, Deputy Minister of Service NL. Mr. Dutton is a graduate of Acadia University, holding Bachelor of Arts (Honours) and Master of Arts degrees, both in political science.

Tracy King

Tracy King was most recently the Deputy Minister of Transportation and Works. Her previous executive roles included Assistant Deputy Minister, Government Renewal Initiative Secretariat, Executive Council, Assistant Secretary to Cabinet (Social Policy), and Assistant Deputy Minister (Policy and Planning) with the Department of Health and Community Services. Ms. King has held a variety of policy-related positions with the Departments of Justice, Fisheries and Aquaculture, Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs, Health and Community Services, the Intergovernmental Affairs Secretariat and Cabinet Secretariat. Ms. King holds a Bachelor of Arts in political science and a certificate in public administration from Memorial University.