Hogan promises to follow Furey’s course, while still blazing his own trail

By Mark Squibb

Lawyer and Windsor Lake MHA John Hogan says he is well suited to be the province’s next leader following the looming resignation of Premier Andrew Furey.
“I think I have the skills, and knowledge, and experience, to deal with the issues that we’re facing right now,” said Hogan.
Hogan was involved in Furey’s 2020 leadership campaign, and said he ran in Windsor Lake in the 2021 provincial election – besting PC Party Leader Ches Crosbie in the process – after Furey encouraged him to do so.
“It was an honour for him to ask me that,” said Hogan. “I certainly share his vision for what the province is, and what it can be, and so I made my decision to get involved with politics based on conversations with Premier Furey in 2021.”
Now, as Furey readies himself to step aside from politics, Hogan is vying for the leadership.
“As I considered my role once the premier decided to step back, I thought that I could do that job and that I was the right person to continue that work going forward,” said Hogan. “It was the right time for me, personally and professionally, and for my family, for me to make that decision to run for leader.”
When asked if he intends to follow in Furey’s footsteps or blaze his own trail, Hogan’s answer is a diplomatic “bit of both.”
“I’ve been a part of Premier Furey’s government for the last four years, I’ve supported the Churchill Falls (MOU), supported the Health Accord, supported the Education Accord, but we all have different personalities and styles,” said Hogan, who describes himself as very analytical.
Hogan is especially vocal about his support of the new Churchill Falls deal with Hydro Quebec which Furey’s Liberals secured just ahead of the new year, despite criticism from the Opposition that the deal is being rushed.
“What an opportunity we have with the MOU on the Churchill Falls deal,” said Hogan, who argued that public debate around it has been more transparent. “It is an incredible economic opportunity for the province for now and for generations to come.”
Hogan encouraged those still uncertain about the deal to go back and listen to the debate, and pay particular attention to the question-and-answer period.
“We will continue to be open and transparent and answer any and all questions as we go forward,” said Hogan. “There can and should be questions asked and, as premier, I will be there to answer them as long as need be for anyone who asks them.”
“The memorandum of understanding is such as opportunity to deliver extra revenue to this province, the likes of which we haven’t seen, to really help us with issues like affordability and healthcare,” Hogan said.
In regards to healthcare, Hogan has committed to adhering to recommendations laid out in the Health Accord, a 10-year health plan initiated under Furey’s leadership.
“We are rebuilding healthcare in this province from the ground up,” said Hogan. “We have a system that has been in place since the sixties. We need to move on from that. And I can tell you, from my meetings with other healthcare ministers throughout the country, that they’re envious of Newfoundland for recognizing the problem earlier than most provinces. We are a little bit ahead of the game compared to other provinces.”
Hogan cited the creation of family care teams, an uptake in surgeries, and an increase in the number of travelling surgeons as some recent successes.
“There’s a lot of work going into health care, but we do have a lot of work to do still,” said Hogan. “We’re not there yet. I don’t want people to think that I think that the healthcare problem has been solved.”
Affordability is yet another issue on Hogan’s mind.
“When inflation started a few years ago, groceries went up, the price of gas went up,” said Hogan. “It really became an issue for Newfoundlanders and Labradorians, and for families. I have an 8-year-old and a three-year-old. I know the cost of living; I know the cost of groceries. I know the issues families and individuals face.”
When asked about threats of tariffs from south of the border, Hogan said the answer is tricky.
“It’s difficult to come to a definite answer because, as we know, the president of the United States changes his threats daily,” said Hogan. “We can’t wait for him to make up his mind. We have to be prepared for that threat.”
He referenced the province’s move in March to place $200 million into a contingency fund to soften the impact of tariffs on local industries, and said that further measures could be taken once the true impact of the tariffs are known. He added the province will also need to explore new markets.
“We can’t rely on our American friends to the south as a reliable partner for the next little while, certainly in the short term and maybe in the long term, and growing economic trade partners in other parts of the world is never going to be a bad thing,” said Hogan. “If we created those economic partnerships, that’s going to serve us as well deal with tariffs in the short term but will be there for the long-term as well. We need to look at these tariffs as a serious threat, but also as an opportunity to expand our economic capacity to other parts of the world.”
In regard to education, Hogan said the province needs to encourage trades in anticipation of jobs created by the new Churchill Falls deal and other mega projects.
Since his election in 2021, Hogan has served as Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General, and Minister of Health and Community Services, and has also served as Government House Leader since January 2023.
Hogan lives in St. John’s with wife Gillian, and their two young children, Maggie and Jack.
squib@theshoreline.ca