Liberal leadership race still on hold

The election race for the next leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador will remain suspended.

A media release issued Friday morning says the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal leadership election committeewill revisit the decision about whether to lift the suspension onMay 11.

"As we have stated, public health has been top of mind in our deliberations and will continue to be as we move forward. We will continue to monitor the situation in our province and update the public on our decisions accordingly," saidSarah Pinsent, co-chair of the committee.

The two contenders areJohn Abbott, 63, a former deputy minister of health, who wasaxed over a year ago over controversial comments he made about health-care spending. He says the decision came from Premier Dwight Ball's office. He is alsoCEO of the Newfoundland and Labrador branch of the Canadian Mental Health Association.

Abbott's campaign was the first of the two candidates to call for the suspension of the race.

Orthopedic surgeon and TeamBroken Earth founderAndrew Furey is challenging Abbott.

During the province's daily COVID-19 briefing Friday, outgoing Premier Dwight Ball said his focus has been on the health and economic crisis the province has been facing for nearly six weeks.

"When they decide on who the next leader of the party is, that's the Liberal Party's decision not mine. I made it quite clear that I will not be seeking re-election, but I also made it quite clear that I willuse my experience during this health crisis and then do whatever I can to support the province in the economic crisis," Ball said.

"There's so many things that were at one time normal in our province. That's my focus right now. It's on the well-being of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, notthe future of the Liberal Party. Someone else will make that decision."

Earlier this week, theexecutive director of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labradortold CBCthere hasbeen no discussion on reopening nominations for the Liberal leadership race.

Michael King saidnominations for the leadership and,as a result, the premiership closed March 6 and there are no plans to reopen them.

There has been a surge of support online for Health Minister John Haggie since he assumed a key leadership position during the COVID-19 crisis, appearing front and centre during daily briefingsto the province.

Haggie told CBC News he would reconsider running for the leadership should the party decide to reopen the nominations.

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