Joan Burke (Canadian politician)
Encyclopedia
Joan Burke MHA
, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador
, Canada. Burke currently serves as the Minister of Advance Education and Skills in the cabinet
of Kathy Dunderdale
. She is the Member of the House of Assembly
(MHA) for the district of St. George's-Stephenville East.
Burke was elected to the House of Assembly in the 2003, general election
and was re-elected in 2007
, and 2011
. She was sworn into cabinet in 2003, and previously held the posts of Minister Human Resources, Labour and Employment, Minister of Education, and Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. Before entering politics Burke worked as a parole officer in Stephenville
.
. Following the election she was sworn into Cabinet as the Minister of Human Resources and Employment and as the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. In 2005 Premier Danny Williams
appointed Burke as the Minister of Education. In the 2007 general election
Burke was re-elected with 75% of the vote, up from 53% in 2003. Burke remained as Minister of Education following the election and in May 2008 was also named Government House Leader
, becoming the first woman appointed to this position in the history of the province.
In April 2009, she became the Minister of the newly created Department of Child, Youth, and Family Services. She was again appointed Minister of Education by Premier Dunderdale during a cabinet reshuffle on January 13, 2011.
and for insisting on approving the new President. Opposition politcians as well as academics criticized the move and the incoming president of Memorial's Faculty Association said that Burke seemed to be in contravention of the Memorial University Act, which states that the President is to be selected by the board of regents in consultation with the university's senate and with the approval of the lieutenant-governor [in] council.
|Progressive Conservative
|Joan Burke
|align="right"|2,104
|align="right"|49.29%
|align="right"|
|-
|Liberal
|Kevin Aylward
|align="right"|1,397
|align="right"|32.72%
|align="right"|
|-
|NDP
|Bernice Hancock
|align="right"|705
|align="right"|16.51%
|align="right"|
|-
|Independent
|Dean Simon
|align="right"|63
|align="right"|1.48%
|align="right"|
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Joan Burke
|align="right"|3143
|align="right"|74.74%
|align="right"|
|-
|Liberal
|George Lee
|align="right"|1062
|align="right"|25.26%
|align="right"|
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Joan Burke
|align="right"|2,927
|align="right"|52.63%
|align="right"|
|-
|Liberal
|Ron Dawe
|align="right"|2,464
|align="right"|44.31%
|align="right"|
|-
|Independent
|Nancy Critchley
|align="right"|170
|align="right"|3.06%
|align="right"|
|}
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:...
, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador
Newfoundland and Labrador is the easternmost province of Canada. Situated in the country's Atlantic region, it incorporates the island of Newfoundland and mainland Labrador with a combined area of . As of April 2011, the province's estimated population is 508,400...
, Canada. Burke currently serves as the Minister of Advance Education and Skills in the cabinet
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
of Kathy Dunderdale
Kathy Dunderdale
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA is a Canadian politician and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010...
. She is the Member of the House of Assembly
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:...
(MHA) for the district of St. George's-Stephenville East.
Burke was elected to the House of Assembly in the 2003, general election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2003
The 46th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 21, 2003, to elect the 48 members of the 45th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 17th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
and was re-elected in 2007
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2007
The 47th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 9, 2007 to elect members of the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 18th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-Campaign:...
, and 2011
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2011
The 48th Newfoundland and Labrador general election occurred on October 11, 2011, to elect members of the 47th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 19th election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
. She was sworn into cabinet in 2003, and previously held the posts of Minister Human Resources, Labour and Employment, Minister of Education, and Minister of Child, Youth and Family Services. Before entering politics Burke worked as a parole officer in Stephenville
Stephenville, Newfoundland and Labrador
Stephenville is a Canadian town in Newfoundland and Labrador on the west coast of the island of Newfoundland....
.
Politics
Burke was elected to politics in the 2003 election as a member of the Progressive Conservative PartyProgressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
For pre-1949 Conservative parties see Conservative parties in Newfoundland The Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador is a centre-right provincial political party in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Originally founded in 1949 the party has formed the Government of...
. Following the election she was sworn into Cabinet as the Minister of Human Resources and Employment and as the Minister Responsible for the Status of Women. In 2005 Premier Danny Williams
Danny Williams (politician)
Daniel E. "Danny" Williams, QC, MHA is a Canadian politician, businessman and lawyer who served as the ninth Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador between November 6, 2003, and December 3, 2010. Williams was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador...
appointed Burke as the Minister of Education. In the 2007 general election
Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2007
The 47th Newfoundland and Labrador general election was held on October 9, 2007 to elect members of the 46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, the 18th general election for the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada.-Campaign:...
Burke was re-elected with 75% of the vote, up from 53% in 2003. Burke remained as Minister of Education following the election and in May 2008 was also named Government House Leader
House Leader
In Canada, each political party with representation in the House of Commons has a House Leader who is a front bench Member of Parliament and an expert in parliamentary procedure...
, becoming the first woman appointed to this position in the history of the province.
In April 2009, she became the Minister of the newly created Department of Child, Youth, and Family Services. She was again appointed Minister of Education by Premier Dunderdale during a cabinet reshuffle on January 13, 2011.
Minister of education
In 2008 Burke came under fire when she admitted that she had vetoed two candidates to take over the presidency of Memorial University of NewfoundlandMemorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
and for insisting on approving the new President. Opposition politcians as well as academics criticized the move and the incoming president of Memorial's Faculty Association said that Burke seemed to be in contravention of the Memorial University Act, which states that the President is to be selected by the board of regents in consultation with the university's senate and with the approval of the lieutenant-governor [in] council.
Electoral record
|-|Progressive Conservative
|Joan Burke
|align="right"|2,104
|align="right"|49.29%
|align="right"|
|-
|Liberal
|Kevin Aylward
Kevin Aylward
Kevin Aylward is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He has served as leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador since August 14, 2011...
|align="right"|1,397
|align="right"|32.72%
|align="right"|
|-
|NDP
|Bernice Hancock
|align="right"|705
|align="right"|16.51%
|align="right"|
|-
|Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
|Dean Simon
|align="right"|63
|align="right"|1.48%
|align="right"|
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Joan Burke
|align="right"|3143
|align="right"|74.74%
|align="right"|
|-
|Liberal
|George Lee
|align="right"|1062
|align="right"|25.26%
|align="right"|
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Joan Burke
|align="right"|2,927
|align="right"|52.63%
|align="right"|
|-
|Liberal
|Ron Dawe
|align="right"|2,464
|align="right"|44.31%
|align="right"|
|-
|Independent
Independent (politician)
In politics, an independent or non-party politician is an individual not affiliated to any political party. Independents may hold a centrist viewpoint between those of major political parties, a viewpoint more extreme than any major party, or they may have a viewpoint based on issues that they do...
|Nancy Critchley
|align="right"|170
|align="right"|3.06%
|align="right"|
|}