Yvonne Rumbolt-Jones was elected to the House of Commons of Canada in May 2013 as the Member of Parliament for the riding of Labrador. She currently serves as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Northern Affairs and a member of the Indigenous and Northern Affairs Committee and the Natural Resources Committee.
Since 2015, Ms. Rumbolt-Jones has served as the Parliamentary Secretary for Indigenous and Northern Affairs and as Northern Affairs and Internal Trade.
Prior to forming Government, Ms. Rumbolt-Jones was appointed the Liberal Critic responsible for Northern Development and the Canadian Northern Economic Development Agency, ACOA, as well as Search and Rescue.
Rumbolt-Jones also served as Vice-Chair of the Public Accounts Committee, which analyses the Federal Government’s spending along with the work of the Auditor General.
Prior to her election to the House of Commons, Rumbolt-Jones served as Liberal MHA for Cartwright-L’anse au Clair for 17 years. During her time has an MHA, she served as the Parliamentary Secretary to the Department of Works, Services and Transportation and to the Department of Health.
In 2003, Yvonne Jones was the first female in the province appointed Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture. She was also the Minister responsible for the Status of Women.
On November 15, 2007, Rumbolt-Jones was appointed Interim Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador and Leader of the Official Opposition. On July 30, 2010, Rumbolt-Jones became the official Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.
Yvonne began her career as a journalist and worked throughout the province as a news reporter with the Evening Telegram, Canadian Press and the Robinson Blackmore weekly paper chain. She also worked with Memorial University as a researcher and with Human Resources and Development Canada. She also worked as an employment councillor; both were contracted positions.
As an entrepreneur, Rumbolt-Jones has owned and operated small businesses in Labrador's transportation and tourism sectors. Her first foray into politics was as Mayor of her hometown, Mary’s Harbour, Labrador, in 1991.
Through her volunteer work with the Battle Harbour Development Corporation, the Combined Councils of Labrador, the NunatuKavut Community Council and various literacy groups and non-profit organizations, Rumbolt-Jones played a significant role in improving the quality of life, not only for the people of her district, but for the people of Newfoundland and Labrador and Canada’s North.
