Roger Simmons
Encyclopedia
Roger Simmons, PC
(born June 3, 1939) is a public policy consultant and former politician and diplomat in Canada
.
Simmons is originally from Newfoundland and Labrador
where he was an active politician for many years. He is now based at the Vancouver, British Columbia office of the Gowlings law firm.
Simmons was born in the town of Lewisporte. After studying at the Salvation Army
College for Officers, the Memorial University of Newfoundland
, and Boston University
, Simmons became a teacher in Newfoundland's Salvation Army school system. (At the time, the Salvation Army, along with other denominations, ran its own publicly funded schools.) He subsequently moved to Springdale to become principal of Grant Collegiate and superintendent of the Green Bay Integrated School Board.
He entered politics in 1973 with his election to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
as the Liberal
Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Hermitage. He was re-elected in 1975 as MHA for Burgeo-Bay D'Espoir.
In 1979, he resigned his provincial seat and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1979 federal election
as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Burin—St. George's
.
Following the 1980 election
, he became parliamentary secretary
to the Minister of the Environment
, and then parliamentary secretary to the Minister of State
for Science and Technology. On August 12, 1983, he was named to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
as Minister of State for Mines. He resigned eleven days later after learning that he was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
for failing to file an income tax
return. Simmons thereby set the record for the shortest federal Cabinet career in Canadian history. Simmons lost his seat in the 1984 election
.
In 1985, he returned to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as the provincial Liberal MHA for Fortune-Hermitage, and briefly served as interim Leader of the Opposition
.
Simmons returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1988 federal election
. He represented Canada at the Rio Summit in 1992. Simmons was re-elected in the 1993 election
, and defeated in the 1997 election
by Progressive Conservative
candidate Bill Matthews
.
In 1998, he was appointed Consul General for Canada in Seattle, and served in that position for five years before moving to Vancouver and joining Gowlings.
Roger Simmons, PC
(born June 3, 1939) is a public policy consultant and former politician and diplomat in Canada
.
Simmons is originally from Newfoundland and Labrador
where he was an active politician for many years. He is now based at the Vancouver, British Columbia office of the Gowlings law firm.
Simmons was born in the town of Lewisporte. After studying at the Salvation Army
College for Officers, the Memorial University of Newfoundland
, and Boston University
, Simmons became a teacher in Newfoundland's Salvation Army school system. (At the time, the Salvation Army, along with other denominations, ran its own publicly funded schools.) He subsequently moved to Springdale to become principal of Grant Collegiate and superintendent of the Green Bay Integrated School Board.
He entered politics in 1973 with his election to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
as the Liberal
Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Hermitage. He was re-elected in 1975 as MHA for Burgeo-Bay D'Espoir.
In 1979, he resigned his provincial seat and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1979 federal election
as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Burin—St. George's
.
Following the 1980 election
, he became parliamentary secretary
to the Minister of the Environment
, and then parliamentary secretary to the Minister of State
for Science and Technology. On August 12, 1983, he was named to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
as Minister of State for Mines. He resigned eleven days later after learning that he was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
for failing to file an income tax
return. Simmons thereby set the record for the shortest federal Cabinet career in Canadian history. Simmons lost his seat in the 1984 election
.
In 1985, he returned to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as the provincial Liberal MHA for Fortune-Hermitage, and briefly served as interim Leader of the Opposition
.
Simmons returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1988 federal election
. He represented Canada at the Rio Summit in 1992. Simmons was re-elected in the 1993 election
, and defeated in the 1997 election
by Progressive Conservative
candidate Bill Matthews
.
In 1998, he was appointed Consul General for Canada in Seattle, and served in that position for five years before moving to Vancouver and joining Gowlings.
Roger Simmons, PC
(born June 3, 1939) is a public policy consultant and former politician and diplomat in Canada
.
Simmons is originally from Newfoundland and Labrador
where he was an active politician for many years. He is now based at the Vancouver, British Columbia office of the Gowlings law firm.
Simmons was born in the town of Lewisporte. After studying at the Salvation Army
College for Officers, the Memorial University of Newfoundland
, and Boston University
, Simmons became a teacher in Newfoundland's Salvation Army school system. (At the time, the Salvation Army, along with other denominations, ran its own publicly funded schools.) He subsequently moved to Springdale to become principal of Grant Collegiate and superintendent of the Green Bay Integrated School Board.
He entered politics in 1973 with his election to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
as the Liberal
Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Hermitage. He was re-elected in 1975 as MHA for Burgeo-Bay D'Espoir.
In 1979, he resigned his provincial seat and was elected to the Canadian House of Commons
in the 1979 federal election
as the Liberal
Member of Parliament
for Burin—St. George's
.
Following the 1980 election
, he became parliamentary secretary
to the Minister of the Environment
, and then parliamentary secretary to the Minister of State
for Science and Technology. On August 12, 1983, he was named to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
as Minister of State for Mines. He resigned eleven days later after learning that he was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
for failing to file an income tax
return. Simmons thereby set the record for the shortest federal Cabinet career in Canadian history. Simmons lost his seat in the 1984 election
.
In 1985, he returned to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as the provincial Liberal MHA for Fortune-Hermitage, and briefly served as interim Leader of the Opposition
.
Simmons returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1988 federal election
. He represented Canada at the Rio Summit in 1992. Simmons was re-elected in the 1993 election
, and defeated in the 1997 election
by Progressive Conservative
candidate Bill Matthews
.
In 1998, he was appointed Consul General for Canada in Seattle, and served in that position for five years before moving to Vancouver and joining Gowlings.
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(born June 3, 1939) is a public policy consultant and former politician and diplomat in 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...
.
Simmons is originally from 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...
where he was an active politician for many years. He is now based at the Vancouver, British Columbia office of the Gowlings law firm.
Simmons was born in the town of Lewisporte. After studying at the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
College for Officers, the Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
, and Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, Simmons became a teacher in Newfoundland's Salvation Army school system. (At the time, the Salvation Army, along with other denominations, ran its own publicly funded schools.) He subsequently moved to Springdale to become principal of Grant Collegiate and superintendent of the Green Bay Integrated School Board.
He entered politics in 1973 with his election to 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...
as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...
Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Hermitage. He was re-elected in 1975 as MHA for Burgeo-Bay D'Espoir.
In 1979, he resigned his provincial seat and was elected to the Canadian 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 1979 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
as the 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...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Burin—St. George's
Burin—St. George's
Burin—St. George's was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004....
.
Following the 1980 election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
, he became parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Canada)
The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada...
, and then parliamentary secretary to the Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Science and Technology. On August 12, 1983, he was named to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
as Minister of State for Mines. He resigned eleven days later after learning that he was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
for failing to file an income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
return. Simmons thereby set the record for the shortest federal Cabinet career in Canadian history. Simmons lost his seat in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
.
In 1985, he returned to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as the provincial Liberal MHA for Fortune-Hermitage, and briefly served as interim Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
.
Simmons returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1988 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
. He represented Canada at the Rio Summit in 1992. Simmons was re-elected in the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, and defeated in the 1997 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...
by Progressive Conservative
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....
candidate Bill Matthews
Bill Matthews
William "Bill" Matthews is a Canadian politician.Matthews was a Progressive Conservative member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1982 to 1996...
.
In 1998, he was appointed Consul General for Canada in Seattle, and served in that position for five years before moving to Vancouver and joining Gowlings.
External links
- Roger Simmons biography from the Gowlings website
Roger Simmons, PC
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(born June 3, 1939) is a public policy consultant and former politician and diplomat in 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...
.
Simmons is originally from 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...
where he was an active politician for many years. He is now based at the Vancouver, British Columbia office of the Gowlings law firm.
Simmons was born in the town of Lewisporte. After studying at the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
College for Officers, the Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
, and Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, Simmons became a teacher in Newfoundland's Salvation Army school system. (At the time, the Salvation Army, along with other denominations, ran its own publicly funded schools.) He subsequently moved to Springdale to become principal of Grant Collegiate and superintendent of the Green Bay Integrated School Board.
He entered politics in 1973 with his election to 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...
as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...
Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Hermitage. He was re-elected in 1975 as MHA for Burgeo-Bay D'Espoir.
In 1979, he resigned his provincial seat and was elected to the Canadian 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 1979 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
as the 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...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Burin—St. George's
Burin—St. George's
Burin—St. George's was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004....
.
Following the 1980 election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
, he became parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Canada)
The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada...
, and then parliamentary secretary to the Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Science and Technology. On August 12, 1983, he was named to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
as Minister of State for Mines. He resigned eleven days later after learning that he was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
for failing to file an income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
return. Simmons thereby set the record for the shortest federal Cabinet career in Canadian history. Simmons lost his seat in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
.
In 1985, he returned to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as the provincial Liberal MHA for Fortune-Hermitage, and briefly served as interim Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
.
Simmons returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1988 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
. He represented Canada at the Rio Summit in 1992. Simmons was re-elected in the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, and defeated in the 1997 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...
by Progressive Conservative
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....
candidate Bill Matthews
Bill Matthews
William "Bill" Matthews is a Canadian politician.Matthews was a Progressive Conservative member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1982 to 1996...
.
In 1998, he was appointed Consul General for Canada in Seattle, and served in that position for five years before moving to Vancouver and joining Gowlings.
External links
- Roger Simmons biography from the Gowlings website
Roger Simmons, PC
Queen's Privy Council for Canada
The Queen's Privy Council for Canada ), sometimes called Her Majesty's Privy Council for Canada or simply the Privy Council, is the full group of personal consultants to the monarch of Canada on state and constitutional affairs, though responsible government requires the sovereign or her viceroy,...
(born June 3, 1939) is a public policy consultant and former politician and diplomat in 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...
.
Simmons is originally from 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...
where he was an active politician for many years. He is now based at the Vancouver, British Columbia office of the Gowlings law firm.
Simmons was born in the town of Lewisporte. After studying at the Salvation Army
Salvation Army
The Salvation Army is a Protestant Christian church known for its thrift stores and charity work. It is an international movement that currently works in over a hundred countries....
College for Officers, the Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
, and Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
, Simmons became a teacher in Newfoundland's Salvation Army school system. (At the time, the Salvation Army, along with other denominations, ran its own publicly funded schools.) He subsequently moved to Springdale to become principal of Grant Collegiate and superintendent of the Green Bay Integrated School Board.
He entered politics in 1973 with his election to 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...
as the Liberal
Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a political party in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada and the provincial wing of the Liberal Party of Canada. It is the Official Opposition and currently holds six seats in the provincial legislature.-Origins:The party originated in...
Member of the House of Assembly (MHA) for Hermitage. He was re-elected in 1975 as MHA for Burgeo-Bay D'Espoir.
In 1979, he resigned his provincial seat and was elected to the Canadian 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 1979 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1979
The Canadian federal election of 1979 was held on May 22, 1979 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 31st Parliament of Canada. It resulted in the defeat of Liberal Party of Canada after 11 years in power under Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau. Joe Clark led the Progressive...
as the 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...
Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
for Burin—St. George's
Burin—St. George's
Burin—St. George's was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1979 to 2004....
.
Following the 1980 election
Canadian federal election, 1980
The Canadian federal election of 1980 was held on February 18, 1980 to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 32nd Parliament of Canada...
, he became parliamentary secretary
Parliamentary Secretary
A Parliamentary Secretary is a member of a Parliament in the Westminster system who assists a more senior minister with his or her duties.In the parliamentary systems of several Commonwealth countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Australia, it is customary for the prime minister to...
to the Minister of the Environment
Minister of the Environment (Canada)
The Minister of the Environment is the Minister of the Crown in the Canadian Cabinet who is responsible for overseeing the federal government's environment department, Environment Canada...
, and then parliamentary secretary to the Minister of State
Minister of state (Canada)
A Minister of State is a junior cabinet minister in the Canadian Cabinet, usually given specific responsibilities to assist a senior cabinet minister in a specific area....
for Science and Technology. On August 12, 1983, he was named to the Cabinet of Pierre Trudeau
Pierre Trudeau
Joseph Philippe Pierre Yves Elliott Trudeau, , usually known as Pierre Trudeau or Pierre Elliott Trudeau, was the 15th Prime Minister of Canada from April 20, 1968 to June 4, 1979, and again from March 3, 1980 to June 30, 1984.Trudeau began his political career campaigning for socialist ideals,...
as Minister of State for Mines. He resigned eleven days later after learning that he was being investigated by the Royal Canadian Mounted Police
Royal Canadian Mounted Police
The Royal Canadian Mounted Police , literally ‘Royal Gendarmerie of Canada’; colloquially known as The Mounties, and internally as ‘The Force’) is the national police force of Canada, and one of the most recognized of its kind in the world. It is unique in the world as a national, federal,...
for failing to file an income tax
Income tax
An income tax is a tax levied on the income of individuals or businesses . Various income tax systems exist, with varying degrees of tax incidence. Income taxation can be progressive, proportional, or regressive. When the tax is levied on the income of companies, it is often called a corporate...
return. Simmons thereby set the record for the shortest federal Cabinet career in Canadian history. Simmons lost his seat in the 1984 election
Canadian federal election, 1984
The Canadian federal election of 1984 was held on September 4 of that year to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 33rd Parliament of Canada...
.
In 1985, he returned to the Newfoundland House of Assembly as the provincial Liberal MHA for Fortune-Hermitage, and briefly served as interim Leader of the Opposition
Opposition (parliamentary)
Parliamentary opposition is a form of political opposition to a designated government, particularly in a Westminster-based parliamentary system. Note that this article uses the term government as it is used in Parliamentary systems, i.e. meaning the administration or the cabinet rather than the state...
.
Simmons returned to the federal House of Commons in the 1988 federal election
Canadian federal election, 1988
The Canadian federal election of 1988 was held November 21, 1988, to elect members of the Canadian House of Commons of the 34th Parliament of Canada. It was an election largely fought on a single issue: the Canada-U.S. Free Trade Agreement ....
. He represented Canada at the Rio Summit in 1992. Simmons was re-elected in the 1993 election
Canadian federal election, 1993
The Canadian federal election of 1993 was held on October 25 of that year to elect members to the Canadian House of Commons of the 35th Parliament of Canada. Fourteen parties competed for the 295 seats in the House at that time...
, and defeated in the 1997 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...
by Progressive Conservative
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....
candidate Bill Matthews
Bill Matthews
William "Bill" Matthews is a Canadian politician.Matthews was a Progressive Conservative member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1982 to 1996...
.
In 1998, he was appointed Consul General for Canada in Seattle, and served in that position for five years before moving to Vancouver and joining Gowlings.
External links
- Roger Simmons biography from the Gowlings website