Andrew Furey kicks off campaign for Liberal leadership

Andrew Furey is making it official and kicking off his campaign to become the next leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberals.

While traditional music played at the Alt Hotel on Tuesday evening, all seats were filled by family, friends and supportersto listen to the orthopedic surgeon and founder of humanitarian group Team Broken Earth officially announce his intention to replace the outgoing Dwight Ball.

"Our province is in a difficult position and we are all worried. This level of concern and negativity can be toxic. However, the diagnosis is not terminal," Furey said at the announcement.

"We must take the right steps now and act immediately on our fiscal situation. But, recovery, as always, means making some tough choices, and I tell you today that I'm ready to do exactly that."

Every current cabinet minister was either in attendance Tuesday night or had tweeted their support for Furey.

Politics runs in Furey's family. His father, George Furey, is the Speaker of the Senate. George's brother, Andrew's uncle, is Chuck Furey, a former cabinet minister.

"I'm not one to run on someone else's steam.I've always done my own lifting," he said.

"I'm here because I love this province and will do everything I can to keep it moving forward, untethered by the past, and tacking hard toward abrighter future."

Furey is running a campaign on hope. Hope for the future of the province, and hopingthe party will take a shot on him.

"Under my watch we will reinvent government. And this change will not just be generational, it will be transformational," he said.

However,Furey didn't reveal too much of his campaign's plan of attack, stating Tuesday evening was simply just an announcement.He did reference working closely with Indigenousgroups, applauded the province's tech sector and tourism industry, and said oiland gas will continue to contribute to the province's economy but with a balance of investing in green technology.

Competition

The only other candidate who has come forward so far toseek the job is John Abbott, the CEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association. He also has worked two stints as deputy minister of health under Premier Dwight Ball andformer premier Danny Williams and has never run for public office.

Shortly after announcing he would run, Abbott seemingly took a shot at Ball andsaid he could nolonger stand by as the current administrationrefusesto make the decisions "necessary to move the province's economy and society forward."

Interested candidates have until Fridayat noon to get their nomination papers in and $15,000. The remaining $10,000 of the nomination fee is due later, in two equal instalments.

The job of Liberal leader is open because Ball announcedFeb. 17 he would be stepping down as premier, and said he wanted to spend more time with family.

Rocky start

Before his official launch Tuesday, Furey's campaign sent announcement invitations to Liberal party members over the weekend, prompting some toquestionhow he obtained their personal information.

Both the Liberal Party and Furey's campaign team said a list of party members' information wasn't leaked to the leadership hopeful.

Abbott called Monday for an investigation, and on Tuesday, duringthe House of Assembly's first day back since the Christmas break,Ball said he, too, wants an investigation.

"I'm not siding with anyone. It could have been any candidate," Ball told reporters Tuesday afternoon.

"What I've asked the party to do is make sure there is a fair process, make sure there's accountability and make sure there's transparency."

Furey said he welcomes the investigation, and will even go as far as to help in it.

"The party has already looked at this and said there has been no data breach. But I'm happy to help them in any way, shape or form," Furey said in his first media scrum shortly after walking away from the podium.

"I want a fair race. I don't want to have someone with their foot on the scales for me."

Read more from CBC Newfoundland and Labrador