Thomas Rideout
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gerald Rideout served as the 4th Premier of Newfoundland
.
Born in Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland
, Rideout was first elected to the provincial House of Assembly
in the 1975 general election
as a Liberal
but left the party in 1980 to join the Progressive Conservative
government of Premier
Brian Peckford
in its fight with Ottawa
for control of offshore mineral resources. Rideout became minister of culture, recreation and youth in 1984 and became minister of fisheries in 1985. With Peckford's retirement from politics in 1989, Rideout was chosen Tory party leader and thus became premier of Newfoundland. One month later his party received a higher percentage of votes in the general election
, but was defeated by Liberal Clyde Wells
, whose party was able to win more seats. Rideout remained Leader of the Opposition
until 1991 when he left politics for a federal appointment as a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
.
Rideout attempted a political comeback in the 1993 federal election
, running as the Progressive Conservative
candidate in Gander—Grand Falls
, but was defeated by Liberal
incumbent George Baker
.
In 1997, he obtained his law degree, and was called to the Newfoundland bar in 1998.
In 1999, he re-entered public life, and was elected as a Progressive Conservative Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Lewisporte
. He was re-elected in 2003
, when the PC Party formed the government. He was appointed Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister of Works, Services & Transportation (the name of which was later changed to Transportation and Works). In addition to these portfolios, Rideout served as acting Minister of Health and Community Services from September 27 to October 1, 2004. On November 8, 2005, Rideout was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Deputy Premier.
In the 2007 general election
he switched districts and ran in Baie Verte-Springdale the district he had represented in the House of Assembly as Premier of Newfoundland.
On May 21, 2008, Rideout tendered his resignation as Deputy Premier, Government House Leader and Minister of Fisheries in the provincial government, in a dispute with the Premier's Office over road funding in his electoral district of Baie Verte-Springdale. On June 30, 2008, Rideout resigned from politics altogether, tendering his resignation as a Member of the House of Assembly.
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...
.
Born in Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland
Fleur de Lys, Newfoundland and Labrador
Fleur de Lys is a town in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. The town had a population of 320 in the Canada 2006 Census.-See also:* List of cities and towns in Newfoundland and Labrador...
, Rideout was first elected to the provincial 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...
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:...
as a 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...
but left the party in 1980 to join the Progressive Conservative
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...
government of Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
Brian Peckford
Brian Peckford
Alfred Brian Peckford, PC served as the 3rd Premier of Newfoundland. He served as leader of the Progressive Conservatives from 1979 until his retirement in 1989....
in its fight with Ottawa
Ottawa
Ottawa is the capital of Canada, the second largest city in the Province of Ontario, and the fourth largest city in the country. The city is located on the south bank of the Ottawa River in the eastern portion of Southern Ontario...
for control of offshore mineral resources. Rideout became minister of culture, recreation and youth in 1984 and became minister of fisheries in 1985. With Peckford's retirement from politics in 1989, Rideout was chosen Tory party leader and thus became premier of Newfoundland. One month later his party received a higher percentage of votes in the general election
Newfoundland general election, 1989
The 42nd Newfoundland general election was held on April 20, 1989 to elect members of the 41st General Assembly of Newfoundland, the 13th general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada...
, but was defeated by Liberal 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...
, whose party was able to win more seats. Rideout remained 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...
until 1991 when he left politics for a federal appointment as a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada
The Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada is an independent administrative tribunal. The IRB is responsible for applying the Canadian federal Immigration and Refugee Protection Act and for making decisions on immigration and refugee matters...
.
Rideout attempted a political comeback in the 1993 federal 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...
, running as the 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 in Gander—Grand Falls
Gander—Grand Falls
Gander—Grand Falls was a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that was represented in the Canadian House of Commons from 1988 to 2004....
, but was defeated by 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...
incumbent George Baker
George Baker (politician)
George S. Baker, PC is a Canadian politician and member of the Senate of Canada.Baker was first elected to the House of Commons in the 1974 election as the Liberal Member of Parliament for Gander—Twillingate, in Newfoundland and Labrador...
.
In 1997, he obtained his law degree, and was called to the Newfoundland bar in 1998.
In 1999, he re-entered public life, and was elected as a Progressive Conservative Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Lewisporte
Lewisporte (electoral district)
Lewisporte is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011, there are 7,797 eligible voters living within the district....
. He was re-elected in 2003
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2003
The 46th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 21, 2003, to elect the 48 members of the 45th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 17th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
, when the PC Party formed the government. He was appointed Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister of Works, Services & Transportation (the name of which was later changed to Transportation and Works). In addition to these portfolios, Rideout served as acting Minister of Health and Community Services from September 27 to October 1, 2004. On November 8, 2005, Rideout was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Deputy Premier.
In the 2007 general 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:...
he switched districts and ran in Baie Verte-Springdale the district he had represented in the House of Assembly as Premier of Newfoundland.
On May 21, 2008, Rideout tendered his resignation as Deputy Premier, Government House Leader and Minister of Fisheries in the provincial government, in a dispute with the Premier's Office over road funding in his electoral district of Baie Verte-Springdale. On June 30, 2008, Rideout resigned from politics altogether, tendering his resignation as a Member of the House of Assembly.