Kathy Dunderdale
Encyclopedia
Kathleen Mary Margaret "Kathy" Dunderdale MHA
(née
Warren; born February 1952) is a Canadian politician
and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010. Dunderdale was born and raised in Burin
; before entering politics she worked in the fields of community development, communications, fisheries and social work. Her first foray into politics was as a member of the Burin town council, where she served as deputy mayor. She was also a Progressive Conservative Party
(PC) candidate in the 1993 general election and served as President of the PC Party.
In the 2003 general election
, Dunderdale was elected as Member of the House of Assembly
(MHA) for Virginia Waters
. She served in the cabinets of Danny Williams
—at various times holding the portfolios of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
and Natural Resources
—where she developed a reputation as one of the most high-profile members of Williams' cabinets. Dunderdale became premier upon the resignation of Williams and after becoming the PC leader she led the party to victory in the October 2011 election
. Dunderdale is the first female premier in the province's history and the sixth woman to serve as a premier in the history of Canada.
by her mother Alice and father Norman, she was one of 11 children. She studied social work
at Memorial University of Newfoundland
, but never completed her degree. She met her late husband, Captain Peter Dunderdale, in 1972 while she was home from university for the summer. Captain Dunderdale was a British
master mariner
whose boat was in dry dock undergoing repairs. The couple had a son, Tom, and daughter, Sarah, together and Dunderdale was a stay-at-home mom during their formative years, while her husband sailed the world. When her children grew older, she worked away from home in many different volunteer roles.
In the early 1980s, Dunderdale was on an action committee that successfully lobbied Fishery Products International to reverse a decision to shut down its Burin fish plant. The committee was successful and the plant remains in operation. She worked as a social worker with the provincial Department of Social Services, and accepted an offer to be part of an appeals board for inshore fishers after the cod moratorium.
Dunderdale served on the Burin town council and worked with an array of organizations, including the local school board and the Status of Women. She was president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
and after her husband retired from the sea and her children moved away for university, she became heavily involved in the consulting company her husband had started.
In 1995, she and her husband moved to St. John's
, where Dunderdale currently lives within her district
of Virginia Waters
. Her husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer
and died at the age 56.
Dunderdale was the Progressive Conservative Candidate in the district of Fortune-Hermitage in the 1993 provincial election
. Dunderdale ran against Liberal cabinet minister Oliver Langdon
, and while she knew she would not win the election she felt she had to send premier Clyde Wells
a message about the way he was treating municipalities.
defeating Liberal cabinet minister Walter Noel
by 1,835 votes, taking 58 percent of the popular vote. Following the election she was brought into cabinet
as Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, and Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat.
In a July 5, 2006, cabinet shuffle Williams appointed Dunderdale as the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency. She was re-elected in the 2007 general election
taking 73% of the popular vote against three other candidates. Dunderdale remained as Natural Resources Minister following the 2007 election and on October 31, 2008, Williams appointed her to serve as Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, while continuing to serve in her previous portfolios.
From February 1, 2010, to March 15, 2010, Dunderdale assumed the duties as acting Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, while Williams took a leave of absence to undergo heart surgery in Florida
.
s.
During her time as the Minister of Natural Resources she negotiated and signed several multi-billion dollar development deals.
On August 20, 2008, Dunderdale, Premier Williams and a consortium of oil companies led by Chevron Canada signed a deal to develop the Hebron oil field. The Hebron oil field is the second largest oil field off the coast of the province with an estimated 700 million barrels of oil reserves. The province expects to gain at least $20 billion in royalties and up to 3,500 jobs from the project. Less than a year later, on June 16, 2009, the government announced they had negotiated an agreement with oil companies to expand the Hibernia oil field. The province negotiated a 10 percent equity stake in the "Hibernia South" extension and it is projected to add $13 billion to the province's coffers.
On November 18, 2010, Dunderdale and Premier Williams were joined by Nova Scotia
Premier
Darrell Dexter
in announcing a $6.2 billion agreement to develop the first phase of the Lower Churchill Project
. Nalcor Energy
, a Newfoundland and Labrador Crown corporation, signed a partnership agreement with Emera Inc. of Nova Scotia to develop the 824 megawatts Muskrat Falls
. The hydro development
would see power from the falls transferred from Labrador
to the island of Newfoundland via an underwater transmission link through the Strait of Belle Isle. Another underwater transmission link across the Gulf of St. Lawrence would bring power to Nova Scotia. Newfoundland and Labrador will use 40 percent of the hydro power itself and will be able to shut down the oil-burning Holyrood Thermal Generating Station
. Emera Inc. will get 20% of the power for $1.2 billion to sell to customers in Nova Scotia. The remaining 40 percent will be sold by Nalcor Energy to markets in Atlantic Canada
and the Northeastern United States.
took over Dunderdale's duties as Minister of Natural Resources and he was replaced by Susan Sullivan
.
was held in the spring of 2011. However on December 17, 2010, Dunderdale announced that she was reconsidering running for the leadership of the party and that she would make a final decision after Christmas.
On December 22, 2010, cabinet ministers Jerome Kennedy
and Darin King
, who were both seen as likely leadership candidates, announced they would not seek the leadership of the party. Both men said they were encouraging Dunderdale to run and that they would endorse her campaign if she entered the race. On December 23, 2010, Dunderdale garnered support from two other cabinet ministers when Finance Minister Tom Marshall
and Municipal Affairs Minister Kevin O'Brien
opted out of running for the leadership and threw their support behind her entering the race.
Dunderdale announced her candidacy for the PC Party leadership on December 30, 2010, and was endorsed by her entire caucus. While she originally stated she would step down as premier if she decided to run for the leadership after announcing her candidacy Dunderdale said she will only step down if someone challenges her for the leadership. On January 10, 2011, an hour before nominations were set to close in the leadership election Brad Cabana, a blogger and a former mayor in Saskatchewan
, filed his nomination papers becoming Dunderdale's only challenger. The next day however the PC Party's credentials committee announced that Cabana was ineligible from entering the race because he was unable to collect the 50 signatures needed by PC party members to be nominated. Cabana appealed the party's decision but it was announced on January 27, 2011, that the rules committee upheld the previous ruling by the credentials committee. With Cabana being ineligible to run Dunderdale was officially named the leader-designate, she was sworn in as leader at the party's convention on April 2, 2011.
John Crosbie
and requested a dissolution of the 46th General Assembly
with an election to follow on October 11, 2011
. With an overwhelming lead in public opinion polls, for both Dunderdale and her party, and with roughly $1,000,000 in the bank, pundits considered the election hers to lose. Dunderdale released her party's platform in Grand Falls-Windsor on September 22, 2011. While Dunderdale stressed the need for fiscal restraint, the platform included $135,000,000 in new spending a year. The platform included continuing the freeze on post-secondary education and eventually eliminating loans in favour of needs-based grants, phasing out the payroll tax over six years, investing a third of any surplus into unfunded public pension funds, reviewing the province's income tax rates to ensure they are progressive and competitive, continuing to make payments on the province’s direct debt, creating a population growth strategy, moving forward with the Muskrat Falls hydro development, and improving health care wait times.
On election night the Progressive Conservatives won 37 of the province's 48 seats, six less seats then the party held before the election. The Liberal Party won six seats, while the NDP were elected in five. With this win Dunderdale became only the third female in Canadian history to lead a party to victory in a general election, after Catherine Callbeck
in Prince Edward Island
and Pat Duncan
in the Yukon
.
On October 28, 2011, Dunderdale's new cabinet
was sworn in at Government House
. Through the elimination and restructuring of government departments
she reduced her cabinet to 16 members, including herself, down from 19. Dunderdale created the Department of Advanced Education and Skills, which takes on the majority of the responsibilities of the now defunct Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. She eliminated the Department of Business and merged it with the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development to create the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development. She also restructured the former departments of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Affairs to create the Department of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs.
Dunderdale also announced soon after being sworn in that she wanted to end a year long strike on the Burin Peninsula
that involved 15 home care workers. The government had been called on to settle the dispute but had refused to get involved seeing the workers are not direct employees of provincial government. Within 5 days of taking office Dunderdale's government reached an agreement with the workers which they unanimously accepted ending the 377-day strike.
On December 15, 2010, Dunderdale along with Ministers Kennedy and Marshall joined the NLMA president to announce that a tentative agreement between the provincial government and doctors had been reached. The offer included 100 percent Atlantic Canadian
parity within the first two years of the agreement, pay equity for salaried specialists, and retention bonuses for fee-for-service rural physicians. As a result of the new deal, the 13 of the 14 doctors who tendered their resignations en masse in November rescinded their resignations.
on February 1, 2011, Dunderdale asked for his government's support with a loan guarantee for Muskrat Falls. The loan guarantee would reduce the cost of the project by millions, resulting in lower electricty rates for consumers. Dunderdale's first throne speech as premier was read out by Lieutenant Governor Crosbie on March 21, 2011, and there was significant focus placed on the Lower Churchill development. During a campaign stop in St. John's during the 2011 federal election Dunderdale endorsed Harper and his Conservative Party
while Harper committed to the loan guarantee. On August 19, 2011, Canada's Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver
announced a Memorandum of Agreement
for the loan guarantee and said that the final agreement would be in place by November 30, 2011.
, John Noseworthy
, that spending must be controlled program expenses increased by 4.9 percent. Spending was focused on infrastructure, health care, social programs, Nalcor Energy
as well as other areas. The budget included tax credits for child care, volunteer fire fighters as well as an 8 percent Residential Energy Rebate on home heating fuel, which is equal to the provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax
(HST). The budget raised the threshold on the payroll tax exemption from $1 million to $1.2 million. Although the province recorded nearly a half billion dollar surplus the province's net debt was expected to increase from $8.2 billion to $8.67 billion due to unfunded liabilities. A $59 million surplus was projected for the 2011-2012 fiscal year in the in the April budget, but in August Finance Minister Tom Marshall announced that due to higher than expected oil production the province's revenues were expected to increase by $600 million. Marshall stated that the unexpected revenue would be used to pay down the province's $8.2 billion debt. On November 16, 2011, Dunderdale's government released their Fall economic update and announced that the surplus for the 2011-2012, fiscal year was now projected to be $755.8 million. The added surplus would be paid directly to the province's debt, reducing the debt to $7.7 billion.
(RNC) to report the incidents the RNC felt it was necessary to take precaution and assign security to the premier. Dunderdale spoke on the issue the following day, she said that due to privacy reasons she was partially reluctant to take on a bodyguard but respects the RNC’s decision. Dunderdale also said that the police had asked her not to comment on the issue and therefore she would stay mum about what led to the need for security.
/Telelink poll showed that 53 percent of those surveyed would vote for the Progressive Conservative, 17 percent chose the Liberals, 5 percent chose the New Democrats, and 24 percent were undecided. The poll also found that even with 18 percent of those surveyed undecided 65 percent felt Dunderdale was the best choice for premier. An Angus Reid Public Opinion
(Angus Reid) poll which was released two weeks later, showing the approval ratings of Canada's premiers, listed Dunderdale as the second most popular premier in Canada with a 55 percent approval rating. 10 percent of respondents disapproved of her performance while 35 percent were not sure if they approved or disapproved of her performance. A Corporate Research Associates (CRA) poll released in March also showed that 73 percent of those surveyed would vote for the Progressive Conservatives, down 2 percent from November 2010. This compared to 18 percent for the Liberal Party and 8 percent for the NDP. 64 percent of those surveyed felt Dunderdale was the best person to be premier of the province; this result was 12 percent lower than what Williams had received in November.
After initially maintaining most of the record high support that Williams received during the majority of his tenure as premier, Dunderdale and the PC Party saw a substantial drop in support following the Spring sitting of the House of Assembly. A CRA poll released in June showed support for the party had fallen to 57 percent, down from 73 percent in three months. Dunderdale’s own popularity also took a hit, however 51 percent of those surveyed still felt she was the best choice for premier.
Support for Dunderdale and her party stabilized in the months following. A CRA poll released less than two weeks before the dropping of the writ
for the election showed that 54 percent of those surveyed would vote for the PC Party. This was 30 percentage points ahead of the NDP who had jumped to second place with 24 percent. Dunderdale was still considered the best choice for premier by 50% of those surveyed. An Angus Reid poll conducted in August showed that Dunderdale was again the second most popular premier in the country. 55 percent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians surveyed approved of her performance as premier, which was 12 percentage points higher than Angus Reid's last poll which was conducted in May. Throughout the course of the provincial election campaign opinion polls showed that support for the Progressive Conservatives ranged from 53 percent to 59 percent and that Dunderdale remained the preferred choice for premier.
|Progressive Conservative
|Kathy Dunderdale
|align="right"|3,370
|align="right"|60.03%
|align="right"|-13.01
|-
|NDP
|Dave Sullivan
|align="right"|1,708
|align="right"|30.42%
|align="right"|+17.59
|-
|Liberal
|Sheila Miller
|align="right"|536
|align="right"|9.55%
|align="right"|+1.8
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Kathy Dunderdale
|align="right"|4043
|align="right"|73.04%
|align="right"|+14.94%
|-
|NDP
|David Sullivan
|align="right"|710
|align="right"|12.83%
|align="right"|+3.6%
|-
|Liberal
|Drew Brown
|align="right"|429
|align="right"|7.75%
|align="right"|-24.92%
|-
|Independent
|Fred Wilcox
|align="right"|353
|align="right"|6.38%
|align="right"|+6.38%
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Kathy Dunderdale
|align="right"|4193
|align="right"|58.10%
|align="right"|+21.77%
|-
|Liberal
|Walter Noel
|align="right"|2358
|align="right"|32.67%
|align="right"|-14.76%
|-
|NDP
|David Sullivan
|align="right"|666
|align="right"|9.23%
|align="right"|-4.92%
|}
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...
(née
Married and maiden names
A married name is the family name adopted by a person upon marriage. When a person assumes the family name of her spouse, the new name replaces the maiden name....
Warren; born February 1952) is a Canadian politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
and the tenth and current Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, having served in this capacity since December 3, 2010. Dunderdale was born and raised in Burin
Burin, Newfoundland and Labrador
Burin is a town on the Burin Peninsula in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Burin Peninsula is often affectionately nicknamed "The Boot" due to its resemblance to the footwear when seen on a map, with the town of Burin located near the "heel". Burin is approximately 318 km...
; before entering politics she worked in the fields of community development, communications, fisheries and social work. Her first foray into politics was as a member of the Burin town council, where she served as deputy mayor. She was also a Progressive Conservative Party
Progressive 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...
(PC) candidate in the 1993 general election and served as President of the PC Party.
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...
, Dunderdale was elected as 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 Virginia Waters
Virginia Waters (electoral district)
Virginia Waters is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The district is currently represented by Premier Kathy Dunderdale....
. She served in the cabinets of 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...
—at various times holding the portfolios of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
and Natural Resources
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
—where she developed a reputation as one of the most high-profile members of Williams' cabinets. Dunderdale became premier upon the resignation of Williams and after becoming the PC leader she led the party to victory in the October 2011 election
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...
. Dunderdale is the first female premier in the province's history and the sixth woman to serve as a premier in the history of Canada.
Background
Kathleen Warren was born and raised in Burin, Newfoundland and LabradorBurin, Newfoundland and Labrador
Burin is a town on the Burin Peninsula in Placentia Bay, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The Burin Peninsula is often affectionately nicknamed "The Boot" due to its resemblance to the footwear when seen on a map, with the town of Burin located near the "heel". Burin is approximately 318 km...
by her mother Alice and father Norman, she was one of 11 children. She studied social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
at Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland
Memorial University of Newfoundland, is a comprehensive university located primarily in St...
, but never completed her degree. She met her late husband, Captain Peter Dunderdale, in 1972 while she was home from university for the summer. Captain Dunderdale was a British
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
master mariner
Master mariner
A Master Mariner or MM is the professional qualification required for someone to serve as the person in charge or person in command of a commercial vessel. In England, the term Master Mariner has been in use at least since the 13th century, reflecting the fact that in guild or livery company terms,...
whose boat was in dry dock undergoing repairs. The couple had a son, Tom, and daughter, Sarah, together and Dunderdale was a stay-at-home mom during their formative years, while her husband sailed the world. When her children grew older, she worked away from home in many different volunteer roles.
In the early 1980s, Dunderdale was on an action committee that successfully lobbied Fishery Products International to reverse a decision to shut down its Burin fish plant. The committee was successful and the plant remains in operation. She worked as a social worker with the provincial Department of Social Services, and accepted an offer to be part of an appeals board for inshore fishers after the cod moratorium.
Dunderdale served on the Burin town council and worked with an array of organizations, including the local school board and the Status of Women. She was president of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Progressive 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...
and after her husband retired from the sea and her children moved away for university, she became heavily involved in the consulting company her husband had started.
In 1995, she and her husband moved to St. John's
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
St. John's is the capital and largest city in Newfoundland and Labrador, and is the oldest English-founded city in North America. It is located on the eastern tip of the Avalon Peninsula on the island of Newfoundland. With a population of 192,326 as of July 1, 2010, the St...
, where Dunderdale currently lives within her district
Electoral district (Canada)
An electoral district in Canada, also known as a constituency or a riding, is a geographical constituency upon which Canada's representative democracy is based...
of Virginia Waters
Virginia Waters (electoral district)
Virginia Waters is a provincial electoral district for the House of Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. The district is currently represented by Premier Kathy Dunderdale....
. Her husband was diagnosed with prostate cancer
Prostate cancer
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that develops in the prostate, a gland in the male reproductive system. Most prostate cancers are slow growing; however, there are cases of aggressive prostate cancers. The cancer cells may metastasize from the prostate to other parts of the body, particularly...
and died at the age 56.
Politics
Dunderdale was elected to the Burin town council in 1985, and served as deputy mayor from 1989 to 1993. She got involved in the provincial Federation of Municipalities, she served as their first female president and is the organization's only honorary member, Dunderdale was also director of the Canadian Federation of Municipalities.Dunderdale was the Progressive Conservative Candidate in the district of Fortune-Hermitage in the 1993 provincial election
Newfoundland general election, 1993
The 43rd Newfoundland general election was held on 3 May 1993 to elect members of the 42nd General Assembly of Newfoundland, the 14th general election for the province of Newfoundland, Canada. It was won by the Liberal party.-Results:...
. Dunderdale ran against Liberal cabinet minister Oliver Langdon
Oliver Langdon
Oliver Langdon is an educator and former political figure in Newfoundland and Labrador. He represented Fortune Bay-Cape La Hune in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 1989 to 2007 as a Progressive Conservative and then Liberal member....
, and while she knew she would not win the election she felt she had to send premier 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...
a message about the way he was treating municipalities.
MHA and minister
Dunderdale was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in the 2003 general electionNewfoundland 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...
defeating Liberal cabinet minister Walter Noel
Walter Noel
Walter Noel is a Canadian politician. He was first elected to Newfoundland and Labrador’s House of Assembly as the Member of the House of Assembly for Pleasantville District in 1989, and re-elected in 1993. He was elected to represent the new Virginia Waters district in 1996 and 1999...
by 1,835 votes, taking 58 percent of the popular vote. Following the election she was brought into cabinet
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
as Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development, and Minister Responsible for the Rural Secretariat.
In a July 5, 2006, cabinet shuffle Williams appointed Dunderdale as the Minister of Natural Resources and the Minister Responsible for the Forestry and Agrifoods Agency. She was re-elected 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:...
taking 73% of the popular vote against three other candidates. Dunderdale remained as Natural Resources Minister following the 2007 election and on October 31, 2008, Williams appointed her to serve as Deputy Premier and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, while continuing to serve in her previous portfolios.
From February 1, 2010, to March 15, 2010, Dunderdale assumed the duties as acting Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador, while Williams took a leave of absence to undergo heart surgery in Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
.
Minister of Natural Resources
All currency is in Canadian dollarCanadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
s.
During her time as the Minister of Natural Resources she negotiated and signed several multi-billion dollar development deals.
On August 20, 2008, Dunderdale, Premier Williams and a consortium of oil companies led by Chevron Canada signed a deal to develop the Hebron oil field. The Hebron oil field is the second largest oil field off the coast of the province with an estimated 700 million barrels of oil reserves. The province expects to gain at least $20 billion in royalties and up to 3,500 jobs from the project. Less than a year later, on June 16, 2009, the government announced they had negotiated an agreement with oil companies to expand the Hibernia oil field. The province negotiated a 10 percent equity stake in the "Hibernia South" extension and it is projected to add $13 billion to the province's coffers.
On November 18, 2010, Dunderdale and Premier Williams were joined by Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
Premier
Premier of Nova Scotia
The Premier of Nova Scotia is the first minister for the Canadian province of Nova Scotia who presides over the Executive Council of Nova Scotia. Following the Westminster system, the premier is normally the leader of the political party which has the most seats in the Nova Scotia House of Assembly...
Darrell Dexter
Darrell Dexter
Darrell Dexter is a Canadian lawyer, journalist and former naval officer who is serving as the 27th and current Premier of the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. A member of the New Democratic Party, he has led the Nova Scotia NDP since 2001. He was elected Premier in 2009 after defeating...
in announcing a $6.2 billion agreement to develop the first phase of the Lower Churchill Project
Lower Churchill Project
The Lower Churchill Project is a planned hydroelectric project in Labrador, Canada, to develop the remaining 35 per cent of the Churchill River that has not already been developed by the Churchill Falls Generating Station...
. Nalcor Energy
Nalcor Energy
Nalcor Energy is a provincial energy corporation which is headquartered in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. A provincial Crown corporation under the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Nalcor Energy was created in 2007 to manage the provinces energy resources...
, a Newfoundland and Labrador Crown corporation, signed a partnership agreement with Emera Inc. of Nova Scotia to develop the 824 megawatts Muskrat Falls
Muskrat Falls
Muskrat Falls is a natural 15 metre waterfall located on the lower Churchill River about 25 kilometers west of Happy Valley-Goose Bay, Labrador....
. The hydro development
Hydroelectricity
Hydroelectricity is the term referring to electricity generated by hydropower; the production of electrical power through the use of the gravitational force of falling or flowing water. It is the most widely used form of renewable energy...
would see power from the falls transferred from Labrador
Labrador
Labrador is the distinct, northerly region of the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It comprises the mainland portion of the province, separated from the island of Newfoundland by the Strait of Belle Isle...
to the island of Newfoundland via an underwater transmission link through the Strait of Belle Isle. Another underwater transmission link across the Gulf of St. Lawrence would bring power to Nova Scotia. Newfoundland and Labrador will use 40 percent of the hydro power itself and will be able to shut down the oil-burning Holyrood Thermal Generating Station
Holyrood Thermal Generating Station
The Holyrood Thermal Electric Generating Station built by Newfoundland and Labrador Hydro Corporation is located near the community of Holyrood, in Conception Bay, Newfoundland, Canada.-Overview:...
. Emera Inc. will get 20% of the power for $1.2 billion to sell to customers in Nova Scotia. The remaining 40 percent will be sold by Nalcor Energy to markets in Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
and the Northeastern United States.
Premier
On December 3, 2010, Dunderdale was sworn in as Newfoundland and Labrador's tenth Premier, taking over for Williams who retired from politics the same day. Dunderdale is the first female Premier in the province's history and only the sixth female in Canada to lead a province or territory. On December 6, 2010, Dunderdale held a minor cabinet shuffle to replace herself as the Minister of Natural Resources. Innovation, Trade and Rural Development Minister Shawn SkinnerShawn Skinner
Shawn Skinner MHA, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. Skinner served as the province's Minister of Natural Resources from December 2010 until 2011....
took over Dunderdale's duties as Minister of Natural Resources and he was replaced by Susan Sullivan
Susan Sullivan (politician)
Susan Sullivan MHA is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. She is the Minister of Health and Community Services in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale....
.
Party leadership
After being sworn in as premier, Dunderdale announced that she would not be seeking the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party and therefore would only serve in the role of premier until a leadership electionProgressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election, 2011
The 2011 Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election was prompted by Danny Williams' announcement that he was resigning as premier and party leader on December 3, 2010. Premier Kathy Dunderdale, who was sworn in after Williams' resignation, was the only eligible...
was held in the spring of 2011. However on December 17, 2010, Dunderdale announced that she was reconsidering running for the leadership of the party and that she would make a final decision after Christmas.
On December 22, 2010, cabinet ministers Jerome Kennedy
Jerome Kennedy
Jerome Kennedy QC, MHA is a Canadian lawyer and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, currently serving as the Minister of Natural Resources in the cabinet of Premier Kathy Dunderdale....
and Darin King
Darin King
Darin King MHA, is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. King is the Minister of Fisheries and Aquaculture in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale, and is the Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Grand Bank....
, who were both seen as likely leadership candidates, announced they would not seek the leadership of the party. Both men said they were encouraging Dunderdale to run and that they would endorse her campaign if she entered the race. On December 23, 2010, Dunderdale garnered support from two other cabinet ministers when Finance Minister Tom Marshall
Tom Marshall (politician)
Tom Marshall, QC, MHA is a Canadian lawyer and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He currently serves as the Minister of Finance and President of the Treasury Board in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale....
and Municipal Affairs Minister Kevin O'Brien
Kevin O'Brien (Newfoundland and Labrador politician)
Not to be confused with Kevin O'Brien Nunavut politician.Kevin O'Brien MHA, is a Canadian businessman, pharmacist and politician in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada. He currently serves as the Minister of Municipal Affairs in the cabinet of Kathy Dunderdale...
opted out of running for the leadership and threw their support behind her entering the race.
Dunderdale announced her candidacy for the PC Party leadership on December 30, 2010, and was endorsed by her entire caucus. While she originally stated she would step down as premier if she decided to run for the leadership after announcing her candidacy Dunderdale said she will only step down if someone challenges her for the leadership. On January 10, 2011, an hour before nominations were set to close in the leadership election Brad Cabana, a blogger and a former mayor in Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan
Saskatchewan is a prairie province in Canada, which has an area of . Saskatchewan is bordered on the west by Alberta, on the north by the Northwest Territories, on the east by Manitoba, and on the south by the U.S. states of Montana and North Dakota....
, filed his nomination papers becoming Dunderdale's only challenger. The next day however the PC Party's credentials committee announced that Cabana was ineligible from entering the race because he was unable to collect the 50 signatures needed by PC party members to be nominated. Cabana appealed the party's decision but it was announced on January 27, 2011, that the rules committee upheld the previous ruling by the credentials committee. With Cabana being ineligible to run Dunderdale was officially named the leader-designate, she was sworn in as leader at the party's convention on April 2, 2011.
2011 general election
On September 19, 2011, Dunderdale met with Lieutenant GovernorLieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador is the viceregal representative in Newfoundland and Labrador of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada and resides predominantly...
John Crosbie
John Crosbie
John Carnell Crosbie, PC, OC, ONL, QC is a retired provincial and federal politician and the 12th Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada...
and requested a dissolution of the 46th General Assembly
46th General Assembly of Newfoundland and Labrador
The 46th Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly was summoned to meet on March 10, 2008, its members having been sworn in and elected its speaker on November 1, 2007, and was dissolved on September 19, 2011. The Progressive Conservative government led by Danny Williams was re-elected with a...
with an election to follow on October 11, 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...
. With an overwhelming lead in public opinion polls, for both Dunderdale and her party, and with roughly $1,000,000 in the bank, pundits considered the election hers to lose. Dunderdale released her party's platform in Grand Falls-Windsor on September 22, 2011. While Dunderdale stressed the need for fiscal restraint, the platform included $135,000,000 in new spending a year. The platform included continuing the freeze on post-secondary education and eventually eliminating loans in favour of needs-based grants, phasing out the payroll tax over six years, investing a third of any surplus into unfunded public pension funds, reviewing the province's income tax rates to ensure they are progressive and competitive, continuing to make payments on the province’s direct debt, creating a population growth strategy, moving forward with the Muskrat Falls hydro development, and improving health care wait times.
On election night the Progressive Conservatives won 37 of the province's 48 seats, six less seats then the party held before the election. The Liberal Party won six seats, while the NDP were elected in five. With this win Dunderdale became only the third female in Canadian history to lead a party to victory in a general election, after Catherine Callbeck
Catherine Callbeck
Catherine Sophia Callbeck is a Canadian politician and a current member of the Senate of Canada.She was the 28th Premier of Prince Edward Island from 1993 to 1996, the second female provincial premier in Canadian history, and the first to win a general election Catherine Sophia Callbeck (born July...
in Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island
Prince Edward Island is a Canadian province consisting of an island of the same name, as well as other islands. The maritime province is the smallest in the nation in both land area and population...
and Pat Duncan
Pat Duncan
Pat Duncan is a former politician in the Yukon, Canada. Duncan served as leader of the Yukon Liberal Party from 1998 to 2005 and as the sixth Premier of Yukon from 2000 until 2002...
in the Yukon
Yukon
Yukon is the westernmost and smallest of Canada's three federal territories. It was named after the Yukon River. The word Yukon means "Great River" in Gwich’in....
.
On October 28, 2011, Dunderdale's new cabinet
Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador is the cabinet of that Canadian province....
was sworn in at Government House
Government House (Newfoundland and Labrador)
Government House is the official residence of the Lieutenant-Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. Government House was a by-product of the wave of administrative initiatives that took place during the 1820s. The royal charter of 1825 bestowed official colonial status for Newfoundland.The first...
. Through the elimination and restructuring of government departments
Government of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Government of Newfoundland and Labrador refers to the provincial government of the province of Newfoundland and Labrador. Its powers and structure are set out in the Constitution Act, 1867....
she reduced her cabinet to 16 members, including herself, down from 19. Dunderdale created the Department of Advanced Education and Skills, which takes on the majority of the responsibilities of the now defunct Department of Human Resources, Labour and Employment. She eliminated the Department of Business and merged it with the Department of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development to create the Department of Innovation, Business and Rural Development. She also restructured the former departments of Labrador and Aboriginal Affairs and Intergovernmental Affairs to create the Department of Intergovernmental and Aboriginal Affairs.
Labour disputes
Upon entering the premier's chair Dunderdale was faced with an ongoing dispute between the province's doctors and government over contract negotiations. In November, 14 doctors announced their resignations over the government's latest offer of a 31 percent wage increase that they felt was not enough. At her swearing in as premier Dunderdale stated that earlier that week she had asked Health Minister Jerome Kennedy and Finance Minister Tom Marshall to meet with the Newfoundland and Labrador Medical Association (NLMA) later that day to work out a resolution to the dispute. After the meeting Dunderdale announced she hoped to have a deal signed with the province's doctors before Christmas.Dunderdale also announced soon after being sworn in that she wanted to end a year long strike on the Burin Peninsula
Burin Peninsula
The Burin Peninsula is a Canadian peninsula located on the south coast of the island of Newfoundland in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador....
that involved 15 home care workers. The government had been called on to settle the dispute but had refused to get involved seeing the workers are not direct employees of provincial government. Within 5 days of taking office Dunderdale's government reached an agreement with the workers which they unanimously accepted ending the 377-day strike.
On December 15, 2010, Dunderdale along with Ministers Kennedy and Marshall joined the NLMA president to announce that a tentative agreement between the provincial government and doctors had been reached. The offer included 100 percent Atlantic Canadian
Atlantic Canada
Atlantic Canada is the region of Canada comprising the four provinces located on the Atlantic coast, excluding Quebec: the three Maritime provinces – New Brunswick, Prince Edward Island, and Nova Scotia – and Newfoundland and Labrador...
parity within the first two years of the agreement, pay equity for salaried specialists, and retention bonuses for fee-for-service rural physicians. As a result of the new deal, the 13 of the 14 doctors who tendered their resignations en masse in November rescinded their resignations.
Energy and environmental policy
One of the major focuses of Dunderdale's premiership has been the development of the first phase of the Lower Churchill Project--Muskrat Falls. Several weeks before becoming premier, Dunderdale along with Williams and Premier Dexter of Nova Scotia, signed a partnership agreement to develop the multi-billion dollar hydro development. During her first official meeting with Prime Minister Stephen HarperStephen Harper
Stephen Joseph Harper is the 22nd and current Prime Minister of Canada and leader of the Conservative Party. Harper became prime minister when his party formed a minority government after the 2006 federal election...
on February 1, 2011, Dunderdale asked for his government's support with a loan guarantee for Muskrat Falls. The loan guarantee would reduce the cost of the project by millions, resulting in lower electricty rates for consumers. Dunderdale's first throne speech as premier was read out by Lieutenant Governor Crosbie on March 21, 2011, and there was significant focus placed on the Lower Churchill development. During a campaign stop in St. John's during the 2011 federal election Dunderdale endorsed Harper and his Conservative Party
Conservative Party of Canada
The Conservative Party of Canada , is a political party in Canada which was formed by the merger of the Canadian Alliance and the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 2003. It is positioned on the right of the Canadian political spectrum...
while Harper committed to the loan guarantee. On August 19, 2011, Canada's Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver
Joe Oliver (politician)
Joseph "Joe" Oliver, , PC is a Canadian politician, who was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the 2011 election. He represents the electoral district of Eglinton—Lawrence as a member of the Conservative Party....
announced a Memorandum of Agreement
Memorandum of Agreement
A memorandum of agreement or cooperative agreement is a document written between parties to cooperatively work together on an agreed upon project or meet an agreed objective. The purpose of an MOA is to have a written understanding of the agreement between parties.An MOA is a good tool to use for...
for the loan guarantee and said that the final agreement would be in place by November 30, 2011.
Fiscal policy
In her first budget as premier the province recorded a $485 million surplus. Although her government had been warned by the province's Auditor GeneralAuditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador
The Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador is appointed by the Lieutenant-Governor in Council and confirmed by a resolution of the House of Assembly...
, John Noseworthy
John Noseworthy
John L. Noseworthy is a Canadian accountant and politician who served as Auditor General of Newfoundland and Labrador from April 25, 2002 till July 30, 2011...
, that spending must be controlled program expenses increased by 4.9 percent. Spending was focused on infrastructure, health care, social programs, Nalcor Energy
Nalcor Energy
Nalcor Energy is a provincial energy corporation which is headquartered in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. A provincial Crown corporation under the Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Nalcor Energy was created in 2007 to manage the provinces energy resources...
as well as other areas. The budget included tax credits for child care, volunteer fire fighters as well as an 8 percent Residential Energy Rebate on home heating fuel, which is equal to the provincial portion of the Harmonized Sales Tax
Harmonized Sales Tax
The Harmonized Sales Tax is the name used in Canada to describe the combination of the federal Goods and Services Tax and the regional Provincial Sales Tax into a single value added sales tax in five of the ten Canadian provinces: Ontario, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, British...
(HST). The budget raised the threshold on the payroll tax exemption from $1 million to $1.2 million. Although the province recorded nearly a half billion dollar surplus the province's net debt was expected to increase from $8.2 billion to $8.67 billion due to unfunded liabilities. A $59 million surplus was projected for the 2011-2012 fiscal year in the in the April budget, but in August Finance Minister Tom Marshall announced that due to higher than expected oil production the province's revenues were expected to increase by $600 million. Marshall stated that the unexpected revenue would be used to pay down the province's $8.2 billion debt. On November 16, 2011, Dunderdale's government released their Fall economic update and announced that the surplus for the 2011-2012, fiscal year was now projected to be $755.8 million. The added surplus would be paid directly to the province's debt, reducing the debt to $7.7 billion.
Personal security
On February 7, 2011, the premier’s office announced that due to several incidents since Dunderdale became premier in December that police bodyguards were protecting her. After her office contacted the Royal Newfoundland ConstabularyRoyal Newfoundland Constabulary
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary is a police force in the Canadian province of Newfoundland and Labrador. It provides policing to the communities of St. John's and the Northeast Avalon Peninsula, Corner Brook, Churchill Falls, and Labrador City....
(RNC) to report the incidents the RNC felt it was necessary to take precaution and assign security to the premier. Dunderdale spoke on the issue the following day, she said that due to privacy reasons she was partially reluctant to take on a bodyguard but respects the RNC’s decision. Dunderdale also said that the police had asked her not to comment on the issue and therefore she would stay mum about what led to the need for security.
Public opinion
During the first several months of her tenure as premier public opinion polls showed that Dunderdale and her Progressive Conservative Party were able to maintain the high level of support the party experienced under Williams. Between February and March 2011, three opinion polls were released. A NTVCJON-TV
CJON-DT is a Canadian English language television station broadcasting on channel 21 in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, with additional transmitters and cable coverage throughout the province. It is known on-air as NTV, for Newfoundland Television...
/Telelink poll showed that 53 percent of those surveyed would vote for the Progressive Conservative, 17 percent chose the Liberals, 5 percent chose the New Democrats, and 24 percent were undecided. The poll also found that even with 18 percent of those surveyed undecided 65 percent felt Dunderdale was the best choice for premier. An Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion
Angus Reid Public Opinion is an international public affairs practice. It was established in 2006 under the name Angus Reid Strategies by Dr Angus Reid, a Canadian sociologist who founded his first research company in 1979. Reid sold the Angus Reid Group to Paris-based Ipsos SA in 2000...
(Angus Reid) poll which was released two weeks later, showing the approval ratings of Canada's premiers, listed Dunderdale as the second most popular premier in Canada with a 55 percent approval rating. 10 percent of respondents disapproved of her performance while 35 percent were not sure if they approved or disapproved of her performance. A Corporate Research Associates (CRA) poll released in March also showed that 73 percent of those surveyed would vote for the Progressive Conservatives, down 2 percent from November 2010. This compared to 18 percent for the Liberal Party and 8 percent for the NDP. 64 percent of those surveyed felt Dunderdale was the best person to be premier of the province; this result was 12 percent lower than what Williams had received in November.
After initially maintaining most of the record high support that Williams received during the majority of his tenure as premier, Dunderdale and the PC Party saw a substantial drop in support following the Spring sitting of the House of Assembly. A CRA poll released in June showed support for the party had fallen to 57 percent, down from 73 percent in three months. Dunderdale’s own popularity also took a hit, however 51 percent of those surveyed still felt she was the best choice for premier.
Support for Dunderdale and her party stabilized in the months following. A CRA poll released less than two weeks before the dropping of the writ
Dropping the writ
Dropping the writ is the informal term for a procedure in some parliamentary government systems, where the head of government goes to the head of state and formally advises him or her to dissolve parliament...
for the election showed that 54 percent of those surveyed would vote for the PC Party. This was 30 percentage points ahead of the NDP who had jumped to second place with 24 percent. Dunderdale was still considered the best choice for premier by 50% of those surveyed. An Angus Reid poll conducted in August showed that Dunderdale was again the second most popular premier in the country. 55 percent of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians surveyed approved of her performance as premier, which was 12 percentage points higher than Angus Reid's last poll which was conducted in May. Throughout the course of the provincial election campaign opinion polls showed that support for the Progressive Conservatives ranged from 53 percent to 59 percent and that Dunderdale remained the preferred choice for premier.
Electoral record
|-|Progressive Conservative
|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...
|align="right"|3,370
|align="right"|60.03%
|align="right"|-13.01
|-
|NDP
|Dave Sullivan
|align="right"|1,708
|align="right"|30.42%
|align="right"|+17.59
|-
|Liberal
|Sheila Miller
|align="right"|536
|align="right"|9.55%
|align="right"|+1.8
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Kathy Dunderdale
|align="right"|4043
|align="right"|73.04%
|align="right"|+14.94%
|-
|NDP
|David Sullivan
|align="right"|710
|align="right"|12.83%
|align="right"|+3.6%
|-
|Liberal
|Drew Brown
|align="right"|429
|align="right"|7.75%
|align="right"|-24.92%
|-
|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...
|Fred Wilcox
|align="right"|353
|align="right"|6.38%
|align="right"|+6.38%
|}
|-
|Progressive Conservative
|Kathy Dunderdale
|align="right"|4193
|align="right"|58.10%
|align="right"|+21.77%
|-
|Liberal
|Walter Noel
Walter Noel
Walter Noel is a Canadian politician. He was first elected to Newfoundland and Labrador’s House of Assembly as the Member of the House of Assembly for Pleasantville District in 1989, and re-elected in 1993. He was elected to represent the new Virginia Waters district in 1996 and 1999...
|align="right"|2358
|align="right"|32.67%
|align="right"|-14.76%
|-
|NDP
|David Sullivan
|align="right"|666
|align="right"|9.23%
|align="right"|-4.92%
|}