John Huggie has said he is stepping away from his role as MHA and education minister to deal with health issues.
Huggie announced the news on his Twitter account Tuesday morning, stating, “I will be taking some time off to address health concerns. Precinct offices will remain open.”
In a follow-up message, Huggie said he was acting as Tom Osborne’s deputy while he went on vacation at the Department of Education.
“We appreciate your understanding and support at this time,” he said.
Huggie was on leave in August 2020 to deal with unspecified medical procedures.
He served as State Minister of Health from 2015 to 2022 before swapping portfolios with Osborne to become Minister of Education.
CBC News requested an interview with Huggie. It is unknown how long his vacation will last.
Originally from Manchester, Huggie immigrated to Canada in the early 1990s. After a career as a surgeon, he entered politics in 2015 and became his MHA in the Gander region.
He helped lead the state in the early days of the pandemic, alongside Chief Medical Officer for Health Dr. Janice Fitzgerald and then-Prime Minister Dwight Ball.
Huggie is the second cabinet minister to take a leave of absence for health reasons this month. On January 9, House Speaker and Tourism Minister Steve Crocker stepped down to recover from emergency surgery. I’m here.
Interim PC leader David Brazil also took a leave of absence after suffering a fatal heart attack in October.
