Longtime Progressive Conservative politician Rob Lantz was sworn in as Prince Edward Island’s 34th premier Friday, pledging to lead the province with “honesty and integrity.”
His first order of business was to meet with cabinet, which passed a resolution to prorogue the legislature until March 25, when the government will present its priorities “in the face of tariffs and uncertain economic times,” the new premier said in a late-afternoon statement.
Friday’s ceremony at Fanningbank, the residence of P.E.I.’s lieutenant-governor, came less than 24 hours after Dennis King announced he was resigning as premier and stepping away from politics.
Lt.-Gov. Wassim Salamoun confirmed during the ceremony that he had asked Lantz, until now the education and early years minister in King’s cabinet, to form a government.
During his remarks after being sworn in, Lantz talked about his roundabout route to becoming leader of the province. He was the P.E.I. Progressive Conservative …