Embattled MHA Perry Trimper is not going to run in the next election.
Trimper, a former cabinet minister and speaker of the House, won the Liberal nomination in Upper Lake Melville district for the next election but has gotten himself in hot water a couple of times, most recently for suggesting that the marginalized in society “choose” a risky lifestyle.
He was commenting after a video surfaced in which the town enforcement officer in Happy Valley-Goose Bay threw a homeless indigenous elder to the ground despite the fact that he was already in handcuffs.
Premier Andrew Furey said he was troubled by Trimper’s choice of words.
Trimper is resigning from his roles as special advisor to the Premier on climate change and has withdrawn his nomination. He is making no further comment.
Statement from Perry Trimper:
“Being elected to serve the people of Lake Melville as their representative in the House of Assembly has been a tremendous honour. An honour that has been bestowed on me twice. I have served in Cabinet as Minister responsible for several departments and twice been appointed by my peers to serve as the Speaker. I represented my Province in successful deliberations with Turkey, and represented the ‘Dominion of Newfoundland’ at the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. In Lake Melville, my office has worked through a myriad of issues from individuals, to organizations to addressing so much of the challenge facing Labrador. I am proud of the progress both in my District and across the Province.
With progress and change comes challenge. I feel I have advanced the challenges before Lake Melville as far as I can take them at this time. It is important that someone else be ready to support Premier Andrew Furey and the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. I therefore, will be withdrawing my nomination as the Liberal Candidate for the District of Lake Melville, for the next election. I will continue to focus on supporting the people of Lake Melville, so will resign from my roles as Parliamentary Secretary in Education and Finance, and as Special Advisor to the Premier on Climate Change.
Finally I would like to thank my wife, Caroline Hong, and my constituency assistant, Bonnie Learning, as well as my supporters throughout Lake Melville and the Province. There is still plenty of work to do, and I will do what I can to assist.
I will be making no further public comment on this matter.
Perry Trimper
MHA for the District of Lake Melville”