Lawrence D. O'Brien

For persons of a similar name, see Lawrence O'Brien (disambiguation).

Lawrence O'Brien
Member of Parliament
for Labrador
In office
March 26, 1996 – December 16, 2004
Preceded byBill Rompkey
Succeeded byTodd Russell
Personal details
Born(1951-03-31)March 31, 1951
L'Anse-au-Loup, Newfoundland
DiedDecember 16, 2004(2004-12-16) (aged 53)
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Political partyLiberal
ProfessionTeacher

Lawrence David O'Brien (March 31, 1951 – December 16, 2004) was a Canadian politician. O’Brien represented Labrador in the House of Commons of Canada as a Liberal from 1996 until his death in 2004.

Born in L'Anse-au-Loup, Newfoundland and Labrador, O’Brien was an adult education instructor, a public servant, a teacher, and from 1985 to 1996, and a town councillor in Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador. He served as Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Fisheries and Oceans from 1999 to 2001. He was a strong supporter of a 2003 constitutional amendment which officially changed the name of the province of Newfoundland to "Newfoundland and Labrador".

O'Brien was a candidate for the provincial Liberal nomination in the district of Cartwright-L'anse au Clair in 1996. After his loss in that race, he entered, and won, the federal Liberal nomination for the by-election in the riding of Labrador, vacated by the appointment of Bill Rompkey to the Senate. O'Brien was elected in the federal by-election on March 25, 1996,[1][2] and re-elected in the general elections of 1997,[3] 2000,[4] and 2004.[5]

He was diagnosed with cancer in 1998[6] and died on December 16, 2004, in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador.[7] On January 31, 2005, the members of the House of Commons paid respects to him and his career.

References

  1. ^ "Liberals take five by-elections". The Globe and Mail. March 26, 1996.
  2. ^ "Liberals take 5 of 6 by-elections". Toronto Star. March 26, 1996.
  3. ^ "Liberal tide out on East Coast as cabinet ministers lose". The Globe and Mail. June 3, 1997.
  4. ^ "Byrne, Baker, O'Brien cruise to easy wins". The Telegram. St. John's. November 29, 2000.
  5. ^ "Province matches 2000 outcome". The Telegram. St. John's. June 29, 2004.
  6. ^ "MP in hospital for cancer". The Globe and Mail. February 3, 1998.
  7. ^ "Liberal MP dies of cancer at 53". CBC News. December 17, 2004. Retrieved 2015-11-01.