Cle Newhook
Encyclopedia
Cleophas Newhook (born 1943) is a theologian, author and former Newfoundland politician.
Newhook was leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party from 1989 to 1992 but was unsuccessful in several attempts to win a seat for himself in the House of Assembly
. Prior to becoming party leader he was the NDP's executive secretary as well as a candidate. He became leader by defeating MHA
Gene Long
by a margin of 126 votes to 105 in the party's first-ever leadership convention
. A provincial election
was held several weeks after Newhook became leader and the party lost its two seat in the face of a Liberal
surge that saw NDP support drop 10 points and move to the Liberals allowing the Liberals led by Clyde Wells
to defeat the Conservative government. In 1990, while Newhook was leader, the NDP regained a seat in the House when Jack Harris
won a by-election
victory in St. John's East
. Newhook attempted to win a seat for himself in a 1991 by-election in Trinity North
but was unsuccessful despite a strong showing. In his fifth attempt to win a seat, a 1992 by-election in Ferryland
, he came in third. A month later, Newhook announced that he would step down as NDP leader; he was succeeded by MHA Jack Harris.
Outside of his political career he was a university administrator as co-ordinator of student services at Memorial University as well as the university's chaplain
. He was best known for being the director of the Ocean Ranger
Families Foundation, a non-profit foundation established after the 1982 oil rig disaster that killed 84 men. The foundation organized the victims' families so that they could be represented at a public inquiry and lobbied for legislative changes to prevent future oil rig disasters
Newhook studied theology at Oxford University and spent five years as an Anglican priest in England
where he directed community educational and development programs in inner cities and was chair of the British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centre.
More recently, Newhook has been a marketing consultant and the director of Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador. He served on the provincial Electoral Districts Boundary Commission in 2006.
In the 1989 federal NDP leadership convention Newhook backed Audrey McLaughlin
's campaign.
Newhook was leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party from 1989 to 1992 but was unsuccessful in several attempts to win a seat for himself in the 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...
. Prior to becoming party leader he was the NDP's executive secretary as well as a candidate. He became leader by defeating MHA
Member of the House of Assembly
A Member of the House of Assembly is a member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in Canada.Other Provinces and TerritoriesMembers of other Canadian provincial and territorial assemblies employ the titles:...
Gene Long
Gene Long
Gene Long is a former politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.He was elected in 1986 as the New Democratic Party member of the House of Assembly for the riding of St. John's East. He was defeated in 1989.In the 1990s, he moved to Toronto...
by a margin of 126 votes to 105 in the party's first-ever leadership convention
Leadership convention
In Canadian politics, a leadership convention is held by a political party when the party needs to choose a leader due to a vacancy or a challenge to the incumbent leader.- Overview :...
. A provincial 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...
was held several weeks after Newhook became leader and the party lost its two seat in the face of 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...
surge that saw NDP support drop 10 points and move to the Liberals allowing the Liberals led by 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...
to defeat the Conservative government. In 1990, while Newhook was leader, the NDP regained a seat in the House when Jack Harris
Jack Harris (politician)
John James "Jack" Harris MP is a Canadian lawyer and politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Harris is the New Democratic Party Member of Parliament for St. John's East and is a former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party...
won a by-election
By-election
A by-election is an election held to fill a political office that has become vacant between regularly scheduled elections....
victory in St. John's East
St. John's East
St. John's East is a federal electoral district in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, that has been represented in the Canadian House of Commons since 1949....
. Newhook attempted to win a seat for himself in a 1991 by-election in Trinity North
Trinity North
Trinity North is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. As of 2011, there were 8,278 eligible voters living within the district....
but was unsuccessful despite a strong showing. In his fifth attempt to win a seat, a 1992 by-election in Ferryland
Ferryland
Ferryland is a town in Newfoundland and Labrador on the Avalon Peninsula. According to the 2006 Statistics Canada census, its population is 529. Addresses in Ferryland use the alphanumerically lowest postal codes in Canada, starting with A0A....
, he came in third. A month later, Newhook announced that he would step down as NDP leader; he was succeeded by MHA Jack Harris.
Outside of his political career he was a university administrator as co-ordinator of student services at Memorial University as well as the university's chaplain
Chaplain
Traditionally, a chaplain is a minister in a specialized setting such as a priest, pastor, rabbi, or imam or lay representative of a religion attached to a secular institution such as a hospital, prison, military unit, police department, university, or private chapel...
. He was best known for being the director of the Ocean Ranger
Ocean Ranger
Ocean Ranger was a semi-submersible mobile offshore drilling unit that sank in Canadian waters on 15 February 1982. It was drilling an exploration well in the Grand Banks area, east of St. John's, Newfoundland, for Mobil Oil of Canada, Ltd. with 84 crew members on board when it sank...
Families Foundation, a non-profit foundation established after the 1982 oil rig disaster that killed 84 men. The foundation organized the victims' families so that they could be represented at a public inquiry and lobbied for legislative changes to prevent future oil rig disasters
Newhook studied theology at Oxford University and spent five years as an Anglican priest in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
where he directed community educational and development programs in inner cities and was chair of the British Association of Settlements and Social Action Centre.
More recently, Newhook has been a marketing consultant and the director of Landscape Newfoundland and Labrador. He served on the provincial Electoral Districts Boundary Commission in 2006.
In the 1989 federal NDP leadership convention Newhook backed Audrey McLaughlin
Audrey McLaughlin
Audrey McLaughlin, PC, OC was leader of Canada's New Democratic Party from 1989 to 1995. She was the first female leader of a political party with representation in the Canadian House of Commons, as well as the first federal political party leader to represent an electoral district in a Canadian...
's campaign.