Joanne Thompson, the Liberal MP for St. John’s East, is Canada’s newly appointed minister of seniors. She was elected in 2021. (Spencer Colby/The Canadian Press)

Now is not the time to disrupt the federal government, according to Newfoundland and Labrador’s newest federal cabinet minister.

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau named St. John’s East MP Joanne Thompson as minister of seniors on Friday in a cabinet shuffle that followed former finance minister Chrystia Freeland’s fiery resignation on Dec. 16.

Thompson, who has been a Liberal MP for three years, was not expecting the call, and in fact last week was preparing to fly back to St. John’s.

“I was caught off guard,” she said.

“That’s not where my where my thoughts were. It was really more about coming home and getting on with the work here.”

Three days later after getting the call, she was sworn into Trudeau’s cabinet, taking over a role that had once been held by St. John’s South— Mount Pearl MP Seamus O’Regan, who resigned from cabinet in July.

‘Not the time to be divisive’

As a federal election looms with Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and NDP Leader Jagmeet Singh each vowing to bring forward a non-confidence motion to take down the Liberal government in the House of Commons, Thompson is maintaining her support for Trudeau.

She said his experience is valuable as the country prepares for president-elect Donald Trump’s second inauguration, in January.

WATCH | Joanne Thompson says Canada needs Justin Trudeau’s experience:

“We have an experienced prime minister who has worked with the Trump government in the past. We need that experience at the helm right now,” Thompson said.

She also wants to protect federal programs the Liberal party has introduced, including $10 a day daycare, dental care, and pharmacare.

In her perspective, the federal Liberals have a strong record of supporting Canadians.

“We’ve done that by also balancing the budget in a way that tangible measurements around interest rates, around where Canada fits against its peers in terms of our GDP,” Thompson said.

“I support him because we need to focus on Canadians. This is not the time to be divisive.”

‘Election could define Canada’

Thompson will run again in the next federal election, with St. John’s East — a riding that has been held by the three major parties over the years — again being a national riding to watch. Thompson will face David Brazil, a former interim leader for the provincial PCs, for the Conservative Party, while Mary Shortall, a former president of Newfoundland and Labrador’s Federation of Labour, is running for the NDP.

Thompson joins fellow N.L. MP Gudie Hutchings in cabinet. Hutchings held her rural economic portfolio in Friday’s shuffle, as well as responsibility for the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency.

Thompson said her primary focus is the people of St. John’s East.

“Regardless of what duties I have within the Liberal government and the Trudeau government or any other leader, my first priority is to the people of my riding and then obviously the people of Canada,” she said.

A federal election is set to take place on or before Oct. 20, 2025.

While the length of her ministerial tenure may depend on what happens in Parliament this winter, Thompson said she is proud to sit at the cabinet table while she can.

The next election, in her point of view, will be momentous.

“It is what it is for as long as it is, but I will work as hard as I can in that period of time,” Thompson said.

“I will stay and fight the next election with everything that I have because I think this election is one that could define Canada for the next number of years.”

Thompson, who chairs the national seniors caucus, said she feels well-equipped to take on her cabinet portfolio.

“I will tell you, seniors are their own advocates. When you meet with the seniors’ group, I say this to them. I come prepared because they are prepared,” she said.

“They’re strong advocates. They know what they need.”

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