Tom Osborne (Canadian politician)

Tom Osborne (born 1964), is a politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He represents the district of Waterford Valley in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly. He is a member of the Liberal Party, a former member of the Progressive Conservative Party, and a former Minister in Danny Williams' first cabinet.[3] He is currently Minister of Education in the Furey government.


Tom Osborne

Minister of Education in Newfoundland and Labrador
Assumed office
August 19, 2020[1]
Preceded byposition established
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Waterford Valley
St. John's South (1996-2015)
Assumed office
February 22, 1996
Preceded byTom Murphy
Minister of Finance and President of Treasury Board of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
July 31, 2017  August 19, 2020
Preceded byCathy Bennett
Succeeded bySiobhán Coady
Speaker of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
In office
December 14, 2015[2]  July 31, 2017
PremierDwight Ball
Lieutenant GovernorFrank Fagan
Preceded byWade Verge
Succeeded byPerry Trimper
Minister of Environment and Conservation Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
2003–2006
Succeeded byClyde Jackman
Minister of Health and Community Services Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
2006–2007
Preceded byJohn Ottenheimer
Succeeded byRoss Wiseman
Minister of Justice and Attorney General Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
2007–2007
Preceded byPaul Shelley
Succeeded byJerome Kennedy
Personal details
BornSt. John's, Newfoundland
Political partyLiberal (2013-present)
Independent (2012-2013)
Progressive Conservatives (1996-2012)

Osborne is currently the province's longest consecutively-serving MHA having been in the House of Assembly since 1996.

Politics

Prior to entering politics he worked for Statistics Canada, Small Business Enterprise, and with the Penney Group of Companies.[4]

Opposition

Osborne was first elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in the 1996 provincial election in the district of St. John's South. The election resulted in a landslide victory for Brian Tobin's Liberals and Osborne was one of only nine Progressive Conservative elected. Osborne was re-elected in the 1999 election and though the PC's had gained 5 seats the Liberals still won a large majority government.

In government

With the victory of the Progressive Conservatives in the 2003 election Premier Danny Williams appointed Osborne to Cabinet as the Minister responsible for Environment and Labour. On February 20, 2004 Government announced a restructuring of departments, which saw the creation of the new Department of Environment and Conservation, which Osborne remained minister of.

On March 14, 2006, Osborne became Minister of Health and Community Services succeeding John Ottenheimer. During his time as Minister of Health more information on errors in hormone receptor breast cancer testing were coming to light. The errors eventually led to the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing.

In January 2007, with the announcement that several cabinet Ministers would not be seeking re-election in that October's general election Williams shuffled his Cabinet. Osborne was assigned the Justice portfolio taking over for Paul Shelley who was retiring from politics in October.[5]

With the re-election of the Progressive Conservatives in 2007, Osborne was replaced as Justice Minister by Jerome Kennedy. Williams announced he would be nominating Osborne to serve as Deputy Chair of Committees in the House of Assembly and On November 1, 2007, he was confirmed to serve as Deputy Chair of Committees in the House of Assembly.[6]

In 2008, Osborne testified at the Commission of Inquiry on Hormone Receptor Testing and was asked about his time as Minister of Health.[7]

Opposition

In September 2012, Osborne resigned from the Progressive Conservative party citing the leadership of Premier Kathy Dunderdale and began sitting as an Independent.[8] On August 29, 2013, Osborne joined the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador.[9]

Ball and Furey governments (2015-present)

In the 2015 election the Liberal Party won control of the House of Assembly and Osborne was chosen as Speaker. Following the resignation of Cathy Bennett, Osborne was appointed Minister of Finance in the Ball government on July 31, 2017. He was re-elected in the 2019 provincial election. On August 19, 2020 he was appointed Minister of Education in the Furey government.[10]

Electoral record

Waterford Valley - 2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
LiberalTom Osborne3,48768.6%
     NDP Matthew Cooper 1,599 31.4%

[11]

Waterford Valley - 2015 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
LiberalTom Osborne3,58865.9%
     NDP Alison Coffin 1,062 19.5%
Progressive ConservativeAlison Stoodley79214.6%
St. John's South - 2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeTom Osborne2,96657.90%
     NDP Keith Dunne 1,994 38.92%
LiberalTrevor Hickey1633.18%
St. John's South - 2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeTom Osborne388779.6%
     NDP Clyde Bridger 571 11.69%
LiberalRex Gibbons4258.7%

[12]

St. John's South - 2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeTom Osborne4,53276.0%
LiberalDennis O'Keefe*75612.7%
     NDP Tom McGinnis 676 11.3%

[13]

  • Dennis O'Keefe who ran as the Liberal candidate is not the same Dennis O'Keefe that was Mayor of St. John's.
St. John's South - 1999 Newfoundland general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeTom Osborne4,04166.32%
LiberalPatrick Kennedy156325.65%
     NDP Judy Vanata 374 6.14%
     Independent Jason Crummey 101 1.66%

[14]

St. John's South - 1996 Newfoundland general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive ConservativeTom Osborne2,52142.17%
LiberalTom Murphy2,41740.43%
     NDP Sue Skipton 858 14.35%
     Independent Bill Maddigan 155 2.59%

[14]

References

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