Editor’s note: The Muse’s interview with Premier Andrew Furey occurred prior to Memorial University’s faculty strike.
In January, The Muse had the opportunity to interview Newfoundland and Labrador’s Premier, Andrew Furey.
Furey took office in 2020 and described his first three years as challenging due to unprecedented pressures resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, the province’s demographic and fiscal crisis.
“When I put my hand up, there was significant challenges ahead of the province but I see them also as opportunities and I think we are starting to capitalize on them, and I think that’s very rewarding, not just for me but rewarding to see on the faces and psyche of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians as they see a vision and a path forward towards a sustainable future,” said Furey.
Youth Retention
In 2008, the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador recognized youth as the life force of the province’s future prosperity and development by launching a youth retention and attraction strategy to determine which young adults want to work at home.
Former Premier Danny Williams told CBC, “We need to retain our young people, attract back those who have left the province, and ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador is their province of choice for now and into the future,” Williams said.
Fifteen years later– combined with the failed Muskrat Falls project, the rising cost of living, the provincial healthcare crisis, tuition hikes, and the COVID-19 pandemic- Newfoundland and Labrador is still trying to retain its youth in which Memorial University plays a significant role.
Premier Furey is a Memorial University alumni. He earned both his undergraduate and Master’s degree in clinical epidemiology and became an educator in the School of Medicine before taking office.
The Muse asked if he thinks current students deserve better, based on his experience at Memorial and the university’s financial situation.
Furey said, “I know there are challenges there now, of course we are not involved in those challenges currently but I think MUN has unlimited opportunity to unlock value for students and the province alike.”
“MUN is an important institution for the people of the province, it helps shape the province, it’s a part of who we are, it’s a foundational instrument of the province and will be for generations to come,” said Furey.
Addressing Tuition Hikes
Memorial was built on the principle that accessible higher education would benefit the whole country, and its economic benefits would move NL forward.
Following tuition hikes and provincial cuts to Memorial’s operating budget, The Muse asked if the government plans to give Memorial more money.
Furey clarified that the government and Memorial University are separate institutions. However, when MUN approached the government regarding tuition hikes, Furey explained the situation.
“When they (MUN) came and asked about raising the tuition, we said, well, that’s interesting- it hasn’t been raised since before I was an undergraduate student. If you’re (MUN) going to go that route, we will take the money that is displaced and make sure we are looking after through student loan programs and forgivable student loans using the same quantum Newfoundlanders and Labradorians that go to Memorial,” said Furey.
In the 2022 provincial budget, The Government advanced a Tuition Relief Grant program to support provincial students impacted by Memorial University’s tuition increases.
The program provides eligible students with non-repayable grants of up to $3450 per academic year for any Canadian institution if one is a permanent resident of Newfoundland.
“The goal is that there should not be a Newfoundland and Labradorian who wants to go to Memorial, who can’t due to financial reasons and I think that we’ve put together a pretty good package to accomplish that,” Furey says.
According to Furey, the government is open to supporting students in other ways.
“Nothing is ever perfect, so if there are ways to enhance that support for students differently, we’d certainly be open to looking at that through existing or non-existing avenues, because there’s often tools or programs that we’re not aware of, programs for students who are struggling,” said Furey.
Nursing Students and NL Healthcare
In the fall, Premier Furey returned to MUN to deliver letters of intention and job offers for nursing students at the Centre of Nursing Studies and Memorial’s Faculty of Nursing, as the government of Newfoundland and Labrador is indirectly the employer for nurses and other healthcare professionals.
Furey described the letters as a “letter of intent with a promise to job offers” because “when you’re dealing with that many people, in order to be generic but legitimate and honest, we gave them letters of intent and then made sure the path was there with the RHA’- Regional Health Authorities- who then have to sign the contract,” said Furey.
Furey described his visits to Memorial’s nursing schools as very positive.
“There was some good feedback about what their needs were, coming out of nursing school, what their desires were, and I think we took that back as feedback, and we’ll act on it,” said Furey
“Most encouraging for me was within the classes, there was a real spirit and desire of wanting to stay in Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said.
Student experience & advice
Three years of Memorial University students had their degrees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic through disruptions, lockdowns, and online classes.
As a result, the student experience across campus has been far from traditional.
With this in mind, Premier Furey suggested that students felt the burden of the pandemic socially more than any other cohort in society– except for senior citizens.
Furey praised students for their resilience and advised them to “find your passion, and your passion will lead you to success in life.”
“I changed a bit in my undergrad path; don’t be afraid to change, don’t be afraid to fail, if you try something and you don’t like it, don’t stick with it just because you think others want you to,” Furey says.