Rob Lantz was sworn in on Friday as the 34th premier of Prince Edward Island, taking over from Dennis King, who resigned earlier in the day after leading the province since 2019.
Lantz had been education minister in King’s Progressive Conservative government. Speaking after his swearing-in ceremony, Lantz said his role is to serve not only as leader but also as a listener and problem solver.
“Public service is never easy, believe me, folks, it is not,” he said at the official residence of Lt.-Gov. Dr. Wassim Salamoun. “But it always matters, and we do our best every day.”
He served briefly as party leader in 2015 but resigned after failing to win the election that year; he was first elected to the legislature in 2023.
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In his resignation announcement on Thursday, King said the public nature of the job and a steady stream of crises that hit the Island took a toll. During King’s tenure the province was hit with two post-tropical storms — Dorian and Fiona — the COVID-19 pandemic, and the outbreak of potato wart in 2021 that halted shipments of the lucrative crop to the United States for several months.
Now there is a threat of U.S. tariffs on Canadian goods, which if imposed will result in economic disruption. Lantz acknowledged that the road ahead has many challenges.
“Our province is growing, but everything we’ve accomplished is under threat,” Lantz said. “Despite that, our communities are coming together in ways that inspire hope and optimism.”
The Tories were re-elected in 2023, forming a majority and currently holding 20 of the 27 seats in the legislature.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau congratulated Lantz and thanked King for his service to the province over the last six years.
“We will work together to protect our workers, create good-paying jobs, grow the economy, and put Canadians at the forefront of every opportunity,” Trudeau said in a statement about the new premier. “This includes breaking down barriers between provinces and territories and making progress on other priorities of Islanders and all Canadians – from health care, to affordability, to climate action.”
This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 21, 2025.
© 2025 The Canadian Press
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