Lake Melville MHA Perry Trimper won’t run in the next election and is quitting all his additional roles in the House of Assembly, according to a statement he issued Monday.
This comes on the heels of controversial comments last week from Trimper, the second time in roughly a year.
“With progress and change comes challenge,” Trimper said. “I feel I have advanced the challenges before Lake Melville as far as I can take them at this time. It is important that someone else be ready to support Premier Andrew Furey and the Liberal party of Newfoundland and Labrador. I therefore, will be withdrawing my nomination as the Liberal Candidate for the District of Lake Melville, for the next election. 
“I will continue to focus on supporting the people of Lake Melville, so will resign from my roles as parliamentary secretary in education and finance, and as special advisor to the premier on climate change.”

Last week, he apologized for comments made about constituents, this time stating that people with addictions issues and living with homelessness are “choosing” their lifestyle.

"It is important that someone else be ready to support Premier Andrew Furey and the Liberal party of Newfoundland and Labrador. I therefore, will be withdrawing my nomination as the Liberal Candidate for the District of Lake Melville, for the next election." 

The comments were made during an interview on CBC’s "Labrador Morning."

In September 2019, Trimper was removed from then-premier Dwight Ball’s cabinet after accusing the Innu Nation of “playing the race card” — a statement met with wide condemnations and accusations of racism.

Trimper said Monday he would make no further comment outside of the statement he issued to media.

“Being elected to serve the people of Lake Melville as their representative in the House of Assembly has been a tremendous honour,” Trimper said in the statement.

“An honour that has been bestowed on me twice. I have served in cabinet as minister responsible for several departments and twice been appointed by my peers to serve as the speaker. I represented my province in successful deliberations with Turkey, and represented the Dominion of Newfoundland at the centenary of the Battle of the Somme. In Lake Melville, my office has worked through a myriad of issues from individuals, to organizations to addressing so much of the challenge facing Labrador. I am proud of the progress both in my district and across the province."

He thanked his wife, Caroline Hong, and constituency assistant, Bonnie Learning as well as supporters.