Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Encyclopedia
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...

, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...

 and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.

Origins

The party originated in 1948 as the Newfoundland Confederate Association. At this time, Newfoundland was being governed by a Commission of Government
Commission of Government
The Commission of Government was a non-elected body that governed Newfoundland from 1934 to 1949...

 appointed by the Government of the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

. The NCA was an organization campaigning for Newfoundland to join Canadian confederation
Canadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...

. Joey Smallwood
Joey Smallwood
Joseph Roberts "Joey" Smallwood, PC, CC was the main force that brought Newfoundland into the Canadian confederation, and became the first Premier of Newfoundland . As premier, he vigorously promoted economic development, championed the welfare state, and emphasized modernization of education and...

 was the NCA's chief organizer and spokesman, and led the winning side of the 1948 Newfoundland referendum
Newfoundland referendums, 1948
The Newfoundland Referendums of 1948 were a series of two referendums to decide the political future of the Dominion of Newfoundland. Before the referendums, Newfoundland was in debt and went through several delegations to determine whether the country would join Canada, remain under British rule...

 on Confederation.

The Joey Smallwood era (1949-1972)

Following the referendum victory, the NCA reorganized itself as the new province's Liberal Party under Smallwood's leadership. It won the province's first post-Confederation election for the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
The Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly is one of two components of the General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the other being the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The Newfoundland and Labrador General Assembly meets in the Confederation Building at St...

 held in May 1949.

The Liberals under Smallwood promoted the diversification of the province's economy through various megaproject
Megaproject
A megaproject is an extremely large-scale investment project. Megaprojects are typically defined as costing more than US$1 billion and attracting a lot of public attention because of substantial impacts on communities, environment, and budgets. Megaprojects can also be defined as "initiatives that...

s. The provincial government invested in the construction of factories, the pulp and paper industry, the oil industry, hydro-electricity projects, the construction of highways and schools, the relocation of rural villages into larger centres, and other projects. These projects were often very expensive, and yielded few results.

Smallwood grew increasingly autocratic during his 22 years in power. Disaffection with Smallwood, his party and even his government mounted within the province. He announced his retirement in 1969, only to run in the contest to succeed himself. Smallwood defeated John Crosbie
John Crosbie
John Carnell Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC is a retired provincial and federal politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...

 for the leadership.

Crosbie and many young Liberals defected to the opposition Progressive Conservatives
Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...

. The Conservatives had previously found support largely in the business community, and in and around St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...

.

The Liberals narrowly lost the 1971 election
Newfoundland general election, 1971
The 36th Newfoundland general election was held on 28 October 1971 to elect members of the 35th General Assembly of Newfoundland, the seventh general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada...

, but Smallwood refused to resign as Premier
Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador is the first minister, head of government and de facto chief executive for the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Before 1964, the position's official title was Premier of Newfoundland...

 until January 1972 as the support of the Labrador Party
Labrador Party
The Labrador Party was a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The party was founded in 1969, and it won its first seat in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in 1971. The newly elected Labrador Party Member of the House of Assembly soon defected, and...

's lone MHA resulted in a 21-21 tie in the House of Assembly for Smallwood's government. Frank Moores
Frank Moores
Frank Duff Moores served as the 2nd Premier of Newfoundland. He served as leader of the Progressive Conservatives from 1972 until his retirement in 1979.-Early life:...

' Conservatives attempted to form government but its shaky hold on power resulted in the 1972 general election
Newfoundland general election, 1972
The 37th Newfoundland general election was held on 24 March 1972 to elect members of the 36th General Assembly of Newfoundland, the eighth general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.-Results:...

 in which Smallwood's Liberals were conclusively, if narrowly, defeated.

Smallwood was forced out of the party, and formed his own Newfoundland Reform Liberal Party
Newfoundland Reform Liberal Party
The Newfoundland Reform Liberal Party was a personalist political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada from 1969 to 1971. It backed the return to power of Joey Smallwood after he was voted out as Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador following his refusal to resign as...

, which ran in the 1975 general election
Newfoundland general election, 1975
The 38th Newfoundland general election was held on 16 September 1975 to elect members of the 37th General Assembly of Newfoundland, the ninth general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Progressive Conservative party.-Results:...

 against the Liberals and the Tories. The Liberals were badly split and demoralised, and remained on the opposition benches until 1989.

The party under Clyde Wells (1987-1996)

In 1989, the party returned to power under the leadership of Clyde Wells.

Under Wells, the Liberal government eschewed the megaprojects and spending of the Smallwood, Moores and Peckford eras in favour of an economic development program laid out in the Strategic Economic Plan. During a severe economic recession, the Wells administration introduced spending controls and reduced the size of the public service while at the same time maintaining social program spending and working to diversify and develop the economy.

In September 1990, Wells signed a development agreement for the Hibernia project, thereby laying the foundation for the province's oil and gas industry and future economic prosperity.

Wells rose to national prominence in early 1990 for his opposition to the Meech Lake constitutional Accord.

When Wells retired in 1996, he was replaced by former federal Liberal cabinet minister Brian Tobin
Brian Tobin
Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...

. Tobin returned to federal politics in 2000, after only four years as Premier.

2001 leadership convention

When Premier Tobin left the provincial Liberal Party to return to federal politics, it created an opening for the party to elect a new leader who would served as Premier. From 2000 to 2001, Beaton Tulk
Beaton Tulk
Beaton Tulk was an educator, civil servant, politician and the seventh Premier of Newfoundland.Born in Ladle Cove, Newfoundland, Tulk resides in St. John's. He graduated from Memorial University with BA, B.Ed, and Master of Educational Administration degrees. He also later obtained a Canadian...

 served as interim leader and Premier. In 2001 the party held a leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...

 to choose from three candidates:
  • Roger Grimes
    Roger Grimes
    Roger D. Grimes is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Grimes was born and raised in the central Newfoundland town of Grand Falls-Windsor....

    , MHA, Cabinet Minister for Premier Clyde Wells
    Clyde Wells
    Clyde Kirby Wells, QC was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1999 to March 2009...

     starting in 1991 as Minister of Employment and Labour Relations, followed by service as the Minister of Tourism, Minister of Education, Minister of Mines and Energy and lastly Minister of Health.

  • John Efford
    John Efford
    Ruben John Efford, PC is a former Canadian politician.-Provincial politics:...

    , MHA, later elected Member of Parliament, later served as federal Minister of Natural Resources
    Minister of Natural Resources (Canada)
    The Minister of Natural Resources is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for Natural Resources Canada. As of January 19, 2010, the Minister of Natural Resources is Joe Oliver.-Ministers:Key:...

    .

  • Paul Dicks
    Paul Dicks
    Paul D. Dicks is a lawyer and former politician in Newfoundland and Labrador. He represented Humber West in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1989 to 2001 as a Liberal....

    , MHA, provincial Minister of Justice and Attorney General from 1989 to 1991 and from 1998 to 1999, Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board from 1995 to 2000, and Minister of Mines and Energy from 2000 to 2001.


Grimes won the leadership and became Liberal Party leader and Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, by defeating Efford by 14 votes in a fierce and divisive contest. Efford and contestant Dicks subsequently left provincial politics saying they could not work with Grimes.

The party under Roger Grimes (2001-2005)

Grimes was sworn in as the province's premier Feb. 13, 2001. During his government the name of the province was officially changed to Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...

.

In 2003, the federal government declared a moratorium on the last remaining cod fishery in Atlantic Canada in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. While Newfoundland and Labrador was again the most directly affected province by this decision, communities on Quebec's North Shore and in other parts of Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...

 also faced difficulties.

Grimes called for a review of the Act of Union by which the province had become a part of Canada and on July 2, 2003, the findings of the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada
Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador announced the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada on 19 March 2002, in the Speech from the Throne. On 19 April 2002, the appointment of Commissioners Vic Young, , Sister Elizabeth Davis and Judge James Igloliorte, were...

 (which Grimes had created in 2002) were released. Critics called this inquiry the "Blame Canada Commission".

Grimes often clashed with the federal Liberal
Liberal Party of Canada
The Liberal Party of Canada , colloquially known as the Grits, is the oldest federally registered party in Canada. In the conventional political spectrum, the party sits between the centre and the centre-left. Historically the Liberal Party has positioned itself to the left of the Conservative...

 government of Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....

 and became increasingly critical of his predecessor, Brian Tobin
Brian Tobin
Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...

. When Grimes accused the federal government of bias in the Gulf of St. Lawrence cod moratorium, many even in Newfoundland and Labrador saw him as stirring up unnecessary trouble for political gain. After the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada, Grimes' popularity began to decline as his increasingly confrontational approach made it more difficult to win concessions from the federal government.

2003 general election

By 2003, the Liberals had spent fourteen years in power under four different leaders. Public disaffection had mounted resulting in their electoral defeat by Danny Williams
Danny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...

 and the Tories. Grimes stayed on as Liberal leader until his retirement on May 30, 2005, when he was replaced, initially on an interim basis, by Gerry Reid
Gerry Reid
Gerry Reid was the Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. He initially served as interim leader from 2005 to 2006, until Jim Bennett replaced him in February 2006...

.

Reid did not initially stand for the position of leader on a permanent basis, and in February 2006, lawyer Jim Bennett
Jim Bennett (politician)
Jim Bennett is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in the 2011 provincial election. He ran in St. Barbe during the 2007 general election but lost to Wallace Young. Bennett previously served as leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and...

 was acclaimed as party leader. However, Bennett resigned just over three months later after many differences of opinion with the Liberal Party caucus
Caucus
A caucus is a meeting of supporters or members of a political party or movement, especially in the United States and Canada. As the use of the term has been expanded the exact definition has come to vary among political cultures.-Origin of the term:...

. Reid then resumed the leadership, now on a permanent basis, and lead the party into the next election.

2007 general election

In the October 2007 provincial election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2007
The 47th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 9, 2007 to elect members of the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 18th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-Campaign:...

, the Liberal Party's support fell to its lowest level since Confederation. The party won just three of the 48 seats in the House of Assembly. Reid resigned as leader after losing his seat, and Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones is a Canadian politician and former leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She currently represents the riding of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, and was one of only three Liberal incumbents re-elected in the province's...

 was named interim leader.

The party under Yvonne Jones (2007-2011)

With only three members re-elected following the 2007 general election the party decided that Jones would stand as the party's leader on an interim basis, and therefore as the Official Opposition Leader
Leader of the Opposition (Newfoundland and Labrador)
The Leader of the Opposition in Newfoundland and Labrador is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.This list is incomplete...

 in the House of Assembly. Jones became the first woman to serve as the leader of the Liberals and only the second woman to serve as Official Opposition Leader.

Seven by-elections have been held since Jones took over the leadership of the Liberal Party, each one to replace a Tory MHA. Six of the by-elections were won by a Progressive Conservative candidate and the Liberals won one. The by-election they won was held on October 27, 2009 in the district
Electoral district
An electoral district is a distinct territorial subdivision for holding a separate election for one or more seats in a legislative body...

 of The Straits - White Bay North. The by-election was held to replace Minister of Transportation and Works
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....

, Trevor Taylor
Trevor Taylor (politician)
Trevor Taylor is a Canadian politician. He formerly represented the riding of The Straits - White Bay North in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly...

, who resigned on October 2, 2009. Liberal candidate Marshall Dean
Marshall Dean
Marshall Dean is a Canadian politician and businessman. He represented the district of The Straits - White Bay North in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, as a member of the Liberal Party...

 squaked out a win taking 1,975 votes compared to 1,799 for PC candidate Rick Pelley. The by-election was mostly focused on Premier Williams' plan to make cuts to rural health care in this area. He announced days before the by-election he would not make cuts to the district's rural health care after protests from residents.

May 2011 leadership election

A leadership convention was scheduled for the spring of 2008, but due to lack of interest in the leadership the convention was delayed. The convention was rescheduled for November 2010 with nominations closing on July 30, 2011. On July 9, 2010, Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones
Yvonne Jones is a Canadian politician and former leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She currently represents the riding of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, and was one of only three Liberal incumbents re-elected in the province's...

 officially submitted nomination papers, and with the close of nominations at the end of the month she was the only candidate to file nomination papers and was acclaimed leader. Jones announced weeks later she had breast cancer and the leadership election was postponed till May 2011. On May 25, 2011, she was sworn in as the permanent leader of the party.

The party under Aylward (2011)

On August 9, 2011, Jones resigned as leader to due to her health. That night the executive of the party decided the process of choosing the next leader, nominations for the leadership opened on August 10, 2011, and Kevin Aylward
Kevin Aylward
Kevin Aylward is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He has served as leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador since August 14, 2011...

 was chosen by the executive on August 14, 2011. Aylward led the party into the October 11, 2011, election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2011
The 48th Newfoundland and Labrador general election occurred on October 11, 2011, to elect members of the 47th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 19th election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...

, where the Progressive Conservatives won their third straight majority. While the party managed to gain seats in the election and remain the Official Opposition, they placed third in the popular vote, behind the NDP, winning only 19.1 per cent. On October 26, 2011, Aylward announced his resignation as leader after failing to win the district of St. George's-Stephenville East in the election.

History of leaders

  • Joseph Roberts Smallwood (1949–1972)
  • Edward Roberts
    Edward Roberts
    -External links:**...

     (1972–1977)
  • Bill Rowe
    Bill Rowe
    William N. Rowe QC is a former politician, lawyer, broadcaster, and writer in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He is married to Penelope Ayre Rowe of St. John’s, who is a member of the Order of Canada...

     (1977–1979)
  • Don Jamieson
    Don Jamieson
    Donald Campbell Jamieson, PC was a Canadian politician, diplomat and broadcaster.Jamieson was born in St. John's Newfoundland...

     (1979–1980)
  • Len Stirling
    Len Stirling
    Len Stirling is a former politician in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. He was a member of the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1979 to 1982 and was leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1980 to 1982.-Private life:...

     (1980–1982)
  • Steve Neary
    Steve Neary
    Stephen Aloysius Neary is a former politician and cabinet minister in Newfoundland and Labrador.Neary worked at the Argentia Naval Base until 1945 before moving to a job at the Dominion Steel Company on Bell Island...

     (1982–1984) interim
  • Leo Barry (1984–1987)
  • Clyde Wells
    Clyde Wells
    Clyde Kirby Wells, QC was the fifth Premier of Newfoundland and was Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Newfoundland and Labrador from 1999 to March 2009...

     (1987–1996)
  • Brian Tobin
    Brian Tobin
    Brian Vincent Tobin, PC is a Canadian businessman and former politician. Tobin served as the sixth Premier of Newfoundland from 1996 to 2000. Tobin was also a prominent Member of Parliament and served as a Cabinet Minister in Jean Chrétien's Liberal government.- Early life, education, and family...

     (1996–2000)
  • Beaton Tulk
    Beaton Tulk
    Beaton Tulk was an educator, civil servant, politician and the seventh Premier of Newfoundland.Born in Ladle Cove, Newfoundland, Tulk resides in St. John's. He graduated from Memorial University with BA, B.Ed, and Master of Educational Administration degrees. He also later obtained a Canadian...

     (2000–2001) interim
  • Roger Grimes
    Roger Grimes
    Roger D. Grimes is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Grimes was born and raised in the central Newfoundland town of Grand Falls-Windsor....

     (2001–2005)
  • Gerry Reid
    Gerry Reid
    Gerry Reid was the Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. He initially served as interim leader from 2005 to 2006, until Jim Bennett replaced him in February 2006...

     (2005–2006) interim
  • Jim Bennett
    Jim Bennett (politician)
    Jim Bennett is a Canadian politician. He was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in the 2011 provincial election. He ran in St. Barbe during the 2007 general election but lost to Wallace Young. Bennett previously served as leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and...

     (2006)
  • Gerry Reid
    Gerry Reid
    Gerry Reid was the Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. He initially served as interim leader from 2005 to 2006, until Jim Bennett replaced him in February 2006...

     (2006–2007)
  • Yvonne Jones
    Yvonne Jones
    Yvonne Jones is a Canadian politician and former leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. She currently represents the riding of Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly, and was one of only three Liberal incumbents re-elected in the province's...

     (2011) interim 2007-2011
  • Kevin Aylward
    Kevin Aylward
    Kevin Aylward is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He has served as leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador since August 14, 2011...

     (2011)


Smallwood, Wells, Tobin, Tulk, Grimes have been both leader and Premier.

See also

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