Dale Graham

Dale Graham
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
In office
October 27, 2010 – October 25, 2014
Preceded byRoy Boudreau
Succeeded byChris Collins
Deputy Premier of New Brunswick
In office
June 21, 1999 – October 3, 2006
PremierBernard Lord
Preceded byDoug Tyler
Succeeded byDonald Arseneault
Minister of Human Resources
In office
February 14, 2006 – October 3, 2006
PremierBernard Lord
Preceded byRose-May Poirier
Succeeded byHédard Albert
Minister of Supply and Services
In office
June 21, 1999 – February 14, 2006
PremierBernard Lord
Preceded byGreg O'Donnell
Succeeded byBev Harrison
Member of the
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
for Carleton
In office
September 11, 1995 – September 22, 2014
Preceded byDistrict created
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
Member of the
New Brunswick Legislative Assembly
for Carleton North
In office
June 28, 1993 – September 11, 1995
Preceded byFred Harvey
Succeeded byDistrict abolished
Personal details
Born
Dale Allison Graham

(1951-10-06) October 6, 1951 (age 73)
Woodstock, New Brunswick
Political partyProgressive Conservative

Dale Allison Graham (born October 6, 1951[1]) is a former politician in New Brunswick, Canada. He served as an MLA from 1993 to 2014, as Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick from 2010 to 2014, and as a member of the provincial cabinet from 1999 to 2006.

Early life and career

Born in Woodstock, New Brunswick, the son of Robert Graham and Letha Delong,[1] Graham attended school in Centreville. He became a small business owner and was involved in local politics at the school board level. He married Shelley McDougall in 1972.[1] In the 1991 provincial election, Graham was defeated by Liberal incumbent Fred Harvey, however Harvey's victory was later declared void when Harvey was convicted of violating election spending laws. Graham was successful in a by-election in 1993 winning the Carleton North seat. Graham went on to be re-elected in the new electoral district of Carleton in the 1995, 1999, 2003, 2006 and 2010 elections.

Graham's 1993 victory was a key test for his Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick. His party had been defeated provincially in 1987 going from having led the government for 17 years to being shut out of the legislature. Though the party regained 3 seats in the 58 seat legislature in 1991, the upstart Confederation of Regions Party of New Brunswick (CoR) had won 8 seats and claimed official opposition. Graham's victory was seen as a sign that CoR would not necessarily displace the Progressive Conservatives as the voice of conservatism in Anglophone New Brunswick.

In 1999, Graham's party was returned to government. Graham, who co-chaired the election campaign, was named deputy premier and Minister of Supply and Services. On July 21, 2005, Graham added the responsibilities of Minister of Environment & Local Government on an acting basis when his cabinet colleague Brenda Fowlie was forced to resign from the cabinet. He retained the portfolio until November 21, 2005.

In a cabinet shuffle on February 14, 2006, Graham was shuffled to the post of minister responsible for the Office of Human Resources and for Service New Brunswick. He retained his honorary post of deputy premier.

His party failed to win a plurality of seats in the 2006 election so Graham left cabinet and returned to opposition. He was re-elected in 2010 and his party returned to government, and he became dean of the legislature; he was excluded from cabinet but was elected to serve as speaker of the legislature. He did not seek re-election in 2014.

References

  1. ^ a b c Canadian Parliamentary Guide, 1997, Kathryn O'Handley ISBN 1-896413-43-9
Roy Boudreau Speaker of Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick
2010–2014
Chris Collins
new district MLA for Carleton
1995–2014
district abolished
Vacant
Title last held by
Fred Harvey
(Liberal)
MLA for Carleton North
1993–1995
district abolished
New Brunswick provincial government of Bernard Lord
Cabinet posts (3)
Predecessor Office Successor
Rose-May Poirier Minister of Human Resources
2006
Hédard Albert
Greg O'Donnell Minister of Supply and Services
1999–2006
Bev Harrison
Brenda Fowlie Minister of Environment and Local Government (acting)
2005
Trevor Holder
Special Cabinet Responsibilities
Predecessor Title Successor
Doug Tyler Deputy Premier of New Brunswick
1999–2006
Deputy Premier was not included in the next cabinet
Donald Arseneault
Percy Mockler Minister responsible for Service New Brunswick
2006
Greg Byrne