John Herron (New Brunswick politician)
Encyclopedia
John Herron is a former Canadian
politician and Red Tory
.
Herron was first elected to the House of Commons
in the 1997 federal election
as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
(PC Party). He was reelected in the 2000 election
. Herron was one of a handful of new Progressive Conservative "young Turk" parliamentarians - along with Scott Brison
, André Bachand
, and Peter MacKay
- considered the youthful leadership material that would restore the ailing Tories to their glory days.
After Progressive Conservative leader Jean Charest
resigned in April 1998 to lead Quebec Federalists as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Herron and fellow MP Jim Jones
met with Stephen Harper
to explore Harper's interest in the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party. Herron concluded that there was a lack of alignment between the two on a series of public policy matters, and later teamed with Scott Brison
to support Joe Clark
's candidacy and his subsequent return as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
Herron became infamous during the 2003 PC leadership election when he abandoned the campaign of Scott Brison
to support Peter MacKay
before the second ballot. Brison was dropped from the voting when he won just three votes fewer than Jim Prentice
on the second ballot. Many blamed this loss on Herron and a handful of his riding delegates who followed him to the MacKay camp.
Herron was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party until December 2003; he did not support its merger with the Canadian Alliance
into the Conservative Party of Canada
in 2003, and he refused to join the new party. On February 6, 2004, he announced that he would sit for the remainder of the Parliamentary session as an "independent Progressive Conservative", and that he would run in the 2004 election
as a candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada
. One of Herron's last official acts as a sitting MP was his deliverance of the "Progressive Conservative party caucus" tribute to retiring party leader Joe Clark
in May 2004.
Herron lost his seat in the 2004 election to Conservative Party candidate Rob Moore.
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...
politician and Red Tory
Red Tory
A red Tory is an adherent of a particular political philosophy, tradition, and disposition in Canada somewhat similar to the High Tory tradition in the United Kingdom; it is contrasted with "blue Tory". In Canada, the phenomenon of "red toryism" has fundamentally, if not exclusively, been found in...
.
Herron was first elected to the House of Commons
Canadian House of Commons
The House of Commons of Canada is a component of the Parliament of Canada, along with the Sovereign and the Senate. The House of Commons is a democratically elected body, consisting of 308 members known as Members of Parliament...
in the 1997 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1997
The Canadian federal election of 1997 was held on June 2, 1997, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 36th Parliament of Canada. Prime Minister Jean Chrétien's Liberal Party of Canada won a second majority government...
as a candidate of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
Progressive Conservative Party of Canada
The Progressive Conservative Party of Canada was a Canadian political party with a centre-right stance on economic issues and, after the 1970s, a centrist stance on social issues....
(PC Party). He was reelected in the 2000 election
Canadian federal election, 2000
The 2000 Canadian federal election was held on November 27, 2000, to elect 301 Members of Parliament of the Canadian House of Commons of the 37th Parliament of Canada....
. Herron was one of a handful of new Progressive Conservative "young Turk" parliamentarians - along with Scott Brison
Scott Brison
Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...
, André Bachand
André Bachand (Progressive Conservative MP)
André Bachand is a Canadian politician, who represented the riding of Richmond—Arthabaska as member of the Progressive Conservatives from 1997 to 2003....
, and Peter MacKay
Peter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
- considered the youthful leadership material that would restore the ailing Tories to their glory days.
After Progressive Conservative leader Jean Charest
Jean Charest
John James "Jean" Charest, PC, MNA is a Canadian politician who has been the 29th Premier of Quebec since 2003. He was leader of the federal Progressive Conservative Party of Canada from 1993 to 1998 and has been leader of the Quebec Liberal Party since 1998....
resigned in April 1998 to lead Quebec Federalists as leader of the Quebec Liberal Party, Herron and fellow MP Jim Jones
H. James Jones
H. James Jones is a Canadian politician. He served in the Canadian House of Commons from 1997 to 2000, initially as a Progressive Conservative and later as a member of the Canadian Alliance....
met with Stephen Harper
Stephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
to explore Harper's interest in the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party. Herron concluded that there was a lack of alignment between the two on a series of public policy matters, and later teamed with Scott Brison
Scott Brison
Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...
to support Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
's candidacy and his subsequent return as leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada.
Herron became infamous during the 2003 PC leadership election when he abandoned the campaign of Scott Brison
Scott Brison
Scott A. Brison, PC, MP is a Canadian politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. Brison has been the Member of Parliament for the riding of Kings-Hants since the 1997 federal election. Brison was originally elected as a Progressive Conservative but crossed the floor to join the Liberal Party in 2003...
to support Peter MacKay
Peter MacKay
Peter Gordon MacKay, PC, QC, MP is a lawyer and politician from Nova Scotia, Canada. He is the Member of Parliament for Central Nova and currently serves as Minister of National Defence in the Cabinet of Canada....
before the second ballot. Brison was dropped from the voting when he won just three votes fewer than Jim Prentice
Jim Prentice
James "Jim" Prentice, PC, QC is a Canadian lawyer, and politician. In the 2004 federal election he was elected to the Canadian House of Commons as a candidate of the Conservative Party of Canada...
on the second ballot. Many blamed this loss on Herron and a handful of his riding delegates who followed him to the MacKay camp.
Herron was a member of the Progressive Conservative Party until December 2003; he did not support its merger with the Canadian Alliance
Canadian Alliance
The Canadian Alliance , formally the Canadian Reform Conservative Alliance , was a Canadian conservative political party that existed from 2000 to 2003. The party was the successor to the Reform Party of Canada and inherited its position as the Official Opposition in the House of Commons and held...
into the Conservative Party of Canada
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
in 2003, and he refused to join the new party. On February 6, 2004, he announced that he would sit for the remainder of the Parliamentary session as an "independent Progressive Conservative", and that he would run in the 2004 election
Canadian federal election, 2004
The Canadian federal election, 2004 , was held on June 28, 2004 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 38th Parliament of Canada. The Liberal government of Prime Minister Paul Martin lost its majority, but was able to form a minority government after the elections...
as a candidate for 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...
. One of Herron's last official acts as a sitting MP was his deliverance of the "Progressive Conservative party caucus" tribute to retiring party leader Joe Clark
Joe Clark
Charles Joseph "Joe" Clark, is a Canadian statesman, businessman, and university professor, and former journalist and politician...
in May 2004.
Herron lost his seat in the 2004 election to Conservative Party candidate Rob Moore.