Bill Matthews

For other people with the same name, see William Matthews.

For the Australian footballer, see Bill Matthews (footballer). For the geologist, see Bill Mathews.

Bill Matthews
Member of Parliament of Canada for Random—Burin—St. George's
(Burin—St. George's, 1997–2004)
In office
September 22, 1997 – September 7, 2008
Preceded byRoger Simmons
Succeeded byJudy Foote
Member of Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly for Grand Bank
In office
1982–1996
Preceded byLeslie Thoms
Succeeded byJudy Foote
Personal details
Born
William Matthews

(1947-07-22) July 22, 1947 (age 77)
Grand Bank, Newfoundland
Political partyLiberal (1999–2008)
Other political
affiliations		Progressive Conservative (1982–1999)
Residence(s)Grand Bank, Newfoundland and Labrador
ProfessionTeacher
PortfolioFisheries & Oceans (Critic)

William Matthews (born July 22, 1947) is a Canadian politician.

Political career

Matthews was a Progressive Conservative member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1982 to 1996. During this time, he was a cabinet minister, as Minister of Culture, Recreation and Youth from 1985 to 1988 and Minister of Career Development and Advanced Studies from 1988 to 1989.

Matthews was later elected to the House of Commons of Canada in 1997 as a member of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada, representing the riding of Burin—St. George's. He crossed the floor to the Liberals in 1999,[1] and continued to represent the riding until 2004. In that year's federal election, he was elected to the newly redistributed district of Random—Burin—St. George's, which he represented until 2008.

Matthews is a former teacher. He is a former Parliamentary Secretary to the Queen's Privy Council for Canada and Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, Deputy House Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, and Progressive Conservative critic of Fisheries and Oceans.

In March 2007, Matthews called Prime Minister Stephen Harper a "liar." While Speaker of the House Peter Milliken didn't give in to demands from outraged Tories to throw Matthews out of the chamber, Milliken did not allow Matthews to rise in the House for what would be the last 14 months of Matthews' career.[2] Matthews did not run for reelection in the 2008 election.[3]

In October 2018, Matthews was appointed as Chief of Staff to provincial PC leader Ches Crosbie in the Opposition Office.[4]

Matthews contested the 2019 provincial election as the PC candidate in Burin-Grand Bank,[5] but was defeated by Liberal incumbent Carol Anne Haley.[6]

Electoral record

2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Carol Anne Haley 2,822 51.6 -27.8
Progressive Conservative Bill Matthews 2,645 48.4 +39.6
Total valid votes 5,467 100
Total rejected ballots 54
Turnout 65.7%
Eligible voters 8,403
Liberal hold Swing -27.8
2006 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Bill Matthews 13,652 45.49 -1.28 $24,312.48
Conservative Cynthia Downey 12,232 40.76 +22.55 $27,919.55
New Democratic Amanda Will 3,702 12.34 -20.95 $842.43
Green Mark A. Brennan 426 1.42 -0.37 none listed
Total valid votes/Expense limit 30,012 100.0   – $85,393
Total rejected ballots 131 0.43 -0.09
Turnout 30,143 52.09 +7.18
Eligible voters 57,869
Liberal hold Swing -11.92
2004 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Bill Matthews 12,383 46.77 -1.03 $32,788.03
New Democratic Desmond McGrath 8,797 33.29 +28.76 $29,123.91
Conservative Larry Peckford 4,820 18.21 -7.18 $35,579.47
Green Justin Dollimont 474 1.79 – $468.70
Total valid votes/Expense limit 26,474 100.0   – $83,804
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 139 0.52
Turnout 26,613 44.91 -12.34
Eligible voters 59,256
Liberal notional hold Swing -14.90
Changes from 2000 are based on redistributed results. Change for the Conservatives is based on the combined totals of the Progressive Conservatives and the Canadian Alliance.
2000 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Liberal Bill Matthews 14,603
Independent Sam Synard 7,891
Progressive Conservative Fred Pottle 5,799
Alliance Peter Fenwick 1,511
New Democratic David Sullivan 924
1997 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes
Progressive Conservative Bill Matthews 13,884
Liberal Roger Simmons 11,715
New Democratic David A. Sullivan 4,784
1993 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Bill Matthews 3406 – –
Liberal Judy Foote 2805
  NDP Joseph L. Edwards 181
1989 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Bill Matthews 3948 68.6 –
Liberal Graham Wood 1811 31.5
1985 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Bill Matthews 3028 49.3 –
Liberal T. Maxwell Snook 2689 43.7
  NDP Calvin Peach 431 7.0
1982 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Bill Matthews 2857 51.6 –
Liberal Leslie Thoms 2442 44.1
  NDP Eric Miller 234 4.23

References

  1. ^ "Bill Matthews Crossing Floor of Commons". CBC News. August 13, 1999. Retrieved March 19, 2024.
  2. ^ "Powering up the Speaker of the House". CBC News. December 28, 2012. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  3. ^ "Time right to retire, Liberal MP Matthews says". CBC News. April 3, 2007. Retrieved May 17, 2018.
  4. ^ "Former MP Bill Matthews takes over as Ches Crosbie's chief of staff". NTV. October 5, 2018. Archived from the original on October 6, 2018. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  5. ^ "Bill Matthews is a Tory again and running in this year's provincial election". CBC News. April 23, 2019. Retrieved May 16, 2019.
  6. ^ "Carol Anne Haley re-elected for Liberals in Burin-Grand Banks". The Packet. May 17, 2019. Archived from the original on May 18, 2019. Retrieved March 19, 2024.