Premier Tony Wakeham says he was given no advance notice of Keith Russell’s decision to leave the PC caucus and become an independent member of the House of Assembly.
Russell dropped a political bombshell Monday morning at the beginning of a special sitting of the House of Assembly to debate the Churchill Falls deal.
MHA Keith Russell (NL HoA/YouTube)
The legislature was hurriedly called to recess as the PCs filed into their caucus room to discuss the development.
Wakeham calls Russell’s decision “disappointing” for his former colleagues, and for his constituents.
“There was no discussions with Mr. Russell prior to the announcement. He was in our caucus this morning, and he has decided he wants to sit as an independent and that’s his choice.”
Indigenous relations and Labrador affairs minister Lela Evans, who is no stranger to crossing the floor herself, indicates that Russell was not happy with being left out of cabinet.
Minister for Labrador Affairs and Indigenous Relations Lela Evans speaks to media in a scrum at the HoA (VOCM News)
She says he had voiced to several people that he was not happy with not being a minister. Evans says “I think it’s less to do with the Churchill Falls new agreement, and in actual fact that he wasn’t made a minister.”
Wakeham says there are only so many people that can be named to cabinet at one time, and reaffirms his caucus’ support for the agreement.
He says his caucus is “united,” and he has not heard from anyone disapproving of the deal – including Russell.
