November 18, 2025 SWEARING-IN OF MEMBERS
Members-Elect met in the Assembly Chamber on the morning of November 18, 2025, for the Swearing-In Ceremony.
CLERK (Hawley George): Good morning.
Please rise for the entrance of the hon. Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador, Deborah Fry, Administrator in and for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Thank you.
Please be seated.
Honourable Administrator, invited guests, friends and colleagues, welcome to the Swearing-In Ceremony for the Members-Elect for the Districts of Lewisporte - Twillingate and Placentia West - Bellevue.
My name is Kim Hawley George and I’m the Clerk of the House of Assembly. On behalf of my fellow Table Officers, Kimberley Hammond and Bobbi Russell, and all of the House of Assembly Service, I offer my congratulations to the Members-Elect. We look forward to working with you in the 51st General Assembly on behalf of the people of Newfoundland and Labrador.
During today’s ceremony, the Members-Elect will be called in alphabetical order by electoral district. There are three elements to a Swearing-In Ceremony of a Member of the House of Assembly.
Firstly, before Members-Elect can assume their seat in the House, they must swear or affirm allegiance to the King. The Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance is a requirement under the Constitution Act, 1867, for all Members of legislatures in Canada, which must be witnessed by the hon. Chief Justice Deborah Fry, Administrator in and for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Secondly, Members-Elect must make an Oath or Affirmation of Office, which is a requirement of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act.Both Oaths or Affirmations are then signed by Members-Elect and Her Honour the Administrator.
Lastly, Members-Elect will sign the Roll of Members for the 51st General Assembly, which includes an alphabetical listing of all electoral districts and the signatures of Members elected to those districts in the House of Assembly.
I have received a proclamation from the hon. Chief Justice of Newfoundland and Labrador, Deborah Fry:
“TO: Kim Hawley George KC, Clerk of the House of Assembly, and Kimberley Hammond, Principal Clerk of Proceedings, and Bobbi Russell, Principal Clerk of Committees
GREETING;
A PROCLAMATION
WHEREAS under section 128 of the Constitution Act, 1867, I, as Administrator in and for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, am authorized to administer the Oaths or Affirmations of Allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III to those persons elected to be Members of the House of Assembly in the General Election held on October 14th, 2025;
AND WHEREAS under section 5 of the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act, I, as Administrator in and for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, am authorized to administer the Oaths or Affirmations of Office to those persons elected to be Members of the House of Assembly in the said General Election;
AND WHEREAS the said sections of the Constitution Act, 1867, and the House of Assembly Accountability, Integrity and Administration Act further require that the persons declared elected as the Member for the District of Lewisporte - Twillingate and the Member for the District of Placentia West - Bellevue during the said General Election held on the said date must take their Oaths or Affirmations of Allegiance and Oaths or Affirmations of Office before they can take their seats in the House of Assembly;
NOW THEREFORE I, the Administrator in and for the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador, do authorize and direct you, the said Kim Hawley George KC, Kimberley Hammond, and Bobbi Russell, or any of you, to request that those Members Elect gather in the House of Assembly on Tuesday, November 18th, 2025, at 10 in the morning to take their Oaths or Affirmations of Allegiance and Oaths or Affirmations of Office before me.”
Honourable Administrator, I am pleased to report that Travis Wooley, the Chief Electoral Officer, has published a report in the November 17, 2025, edition of The Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette assuring us that the Members-Elect for Lewisporte - Twillingate and Placentia West - Bellevue have been duly elected and that they are entitled to take their Oath or Affirmation of Allegiance and their Oath or Affirmation of Office.
The November 17, 2025, edition of The Newfoundland and Labrador Gazette,containing the report of the Chief Electoral Officer, is deemed to be tabled and formally entered into the House of Assembly records.
We will now begin the swearing-in of Members-Elect.
The Member-Elect for the District of Lewisporte -Twillingate, Mark Butt.
M. BUTT: I, Mark Butt, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III, His Heirs and Successors, according to law. So help me God.
I, Mark Butt, do swear that
(a) I am fully qualified to hold the office of Member for the District of Lewisporte- Twillingate, to which I have been elected;
(b) I have not knowingly contravened the Elections Act, 1991, respecting any matter in relation to my election;
(c) I will faithfully, to the best of my ability, perform the duties and responsibilities of my office and will not allow any direct or indirect monetary or other personal or private interest to influence my conduct or affect my duties in public matters; and
(d) I affirm, ascribe to and agree to the follow the Code of Conduct of Members adopted by the House of Assembly. So help me God.
(Signing of Oath.)
(Signing of the Roll of Members.)
CLERK: Congratulations to the Member for the electoral District of Lewisporte - Twillingate, Mark Butt.
Thank you.
Next, we have the Member-Elect for the electoral District of Placentia West - Bellevue, Jeff Dwyer.
J. DWYER: I, Jeff Dwyer, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles III, His Heirs and Successors, according to law. So help me God.
I, Jeffrey Thomas Paul Dwyer, swear that
(a) I am fully qualified to hold the office of Member for the District of Placentia West - Bellevue, to which I have been elected;
(b) I have not knowingly contravened the Elections Act, 1991, respecting any matter in relation to my election;
(c) I will faithfully, to the best of my ability, perform the duties and responsibilities of my office and will not allow any direct or indirect monetary or other personal or private interest to influence my conduct or affect my duties in public matters; and
(d) I affirm, ascribe to and agree to follow the Code of Conduct of Members adopted by the House of Assembly. So help me God.
(Signing of Oath.)
(Signing of the Roll of Members.)
CLERK: Congratulations to the Member for the electoral District of Placentia West - Bellevue, Jeff Dwyer.
Thank you.
This concludes today’s ceremony. Congratulations again to the Members for the District of Lewisporte - Twillingate and Placentia West - Bellevue, and thank you to those of you in attendance today.
I will now ask the Sergeant-at-Arms to escort Her Honour the Administrator from the Chamber. Please rise but remain in your seats until Her Honour the Administrator has exited.