The Prime Minister is weighing in on Premier Dwight Ball’s resignation.
In a statement, Justin Trudeau says on behalf of the Government of Canada, he thanks Premier Ball for his service to the province and country.
Premier @DwightBallNL has worked hard for people in his home province & across Atlantic Canada. On behalf of Canadians, I thank him for his many years of public service & wish him the very best. My statement: https://t.co/vfYjtxYDDX
— Justin Trudeau (@JustinTrudeau) February 18, 2020
Trudeau says in the years that he has worked with Ball, they made progress on the issues that matter most to Canadians, like investing in health care and climate change. He made note of the work done to launch the Atlantic Growth Strategy, renew the Atlantic Accord and support ongoing efforts on rate mitigation.
Trudeau thanked the Premier for his many years of public service, and wishes him and his family the best in the future.
Meanwhile, the Premier claims his sudden resignation will not leave the province in a sticky situation.
Dwight Ball says he is not going anywhere for at least a few weeks yet and will work with the new party leader once his successor has been named. He says he’ll work with a number of officials and other ministers who have been involved in rate mitigation like Tom Osborne and Siobhan Coady.
Ball is firm that he will be there and rate mitigation remains a priority for him. Whether he is Premier, or a member of caucus, Ball says this will get done.
He insists that the decision came down to not running for re-election and spending more time with his family and friends.
However, Ball says he wouldn’t change a thing.
Ball says he has enjoyed the job, including being Premier and Leader of the Official Opposition. He says the journey was never perfect from the start, but he is proud of the record.