List of Newfoundland and Labrador premiers

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This is a list of the premiers and Prime Ministers of Newfoundland and Labrador, both as a colony, a dominion, and a province of Canada. Like the Canadian federal government, Newfoundland and Labrador uses a Westminster-style parliamentary government, in which the premier is the leader of the party that controls the most seats in the House of Assembly. The premier, sometimes called the prime minister, acts as Newfoundland and Labrador's head of government, while the Queen of Canada acts as its head of state and is represented by the Lieutenant Governor of Newfoundland and Labrador. The premier picks a cabinet from the elected members to form the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Members are first elected to the House during general elections. General elections must be conducted every four years from the date of the last election. An election may also happen if the Governing party loses the confidence of the legislature, by the defeat of a supply bill or tabling of a confidence motion.

Before it joined Canadian confederation in 1949, Newfoundland and Labrador was a British crown colony until 1907, and a dominion from 1907 to 1949. It had had a system of responsible government beginning in 1855. Since 1873, Newfoundland and Labrador has been a part of the Canadian federation. It has kept its own legislature to deal with provincial matters.

From 1855 to 1908, the position of first minister was known as Prime Minister and later Premier. After the colony was granted dominion status in 1907, the position became known as Prime Minister (starting in 1908). Democratic government was suspended in 1934 and replaced by an appointed Commission of Government, which ended in 1949 when Newfoundland became a province of Canada. Since the reinstitution of democratic government in 1949, the position of first minister has again been known as Premier.

For governors prior to the establishment of responsible government see governors and lieutenant-governors of Newfoundland.

In the table, dark blue denotes the various parties that led to the Progressive Conservative Party of Prince Edward Island, red bordered images denote the Liberal Party of Prince Edward Island, and orange denotes the Anti-Confederation Party.

1 Colonial Prime Ministers (Premiers)
2 Dominion Prime Ministers
3 Chairmen of Commission of Government
4 Premiers of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

[edit] Colonial Prime Ministers (Premiers)

The Colony of Newfoundland was granted responsible government in 1855.

Name	Party	From	To
Philip Francis Little	Liberal Party	May 7, 1855	1858
John Kent	Liberal Party	1858	1861
Sir Hugh W. Hoyles	Conservative Party	1861	April 1865
Sir Frederick Carter	Coalition	April 1865	Jan 1870
Charles Fox Bennett	Anti-Confederate Party	Jan 1870	Jan 31, 1874
Sir Frederick Carter	Conservative Party	Jan 31, 1874	April 1878
Sir William Whiteway	Conservative Party	April 1878	1885
Sir Robert Thorburn	Reform Party	1885	1889
Sir William Whiteway	Liberal Party (new, pro-rail party)	1889	April 11, 1894
Augustus F. Goodridge	Tory Party	April 11, 1894	Dec 13, 1894
Daniel J. Greene	Liberal Party	Dec 13, 1894	Feb 8, 1895
Sir William Whiteway	Liberal Party	Feb 8, 1895	Oct 1897
Sir James Spearman Winter	Tory Party	Oct 1897	March 6, 1900

[edit] Dominion Prime Ministers

The colony was granted Dominion status in 1907.

Name	Party	From	To
Sir Robert Bond	Liberal Party	March 6, 1900*	March 2, 1909
Sir Edward Patrick Morris	Newfoundland People's Party/National Government*	March 2, 1909	Dec 31, 1917
Sir William F. Lloyd	Liberal Party/National Government	Jan 5, 1918	May 22, 1919
Sir Michael Patrick Cashin	Newfoundland People's Party	May 22, 1919	Nov 17, 1919
Sir Richard Squires	Liberal Reform Party	Nov 17, 1919	July 24, 1923
William Warren	Liberal Reform party	July 24, 1923	May 10, 1924
Albert Hickman	caretaker	May 10, 1924	June 9, 1924
Walter Stanley Monroe	Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party	June 9, 1924	August 1928
Frederick C. Alderdice	Liberal-Conservative Progressive Party	August 1928	Nov 17, 1928
Sir Richard Squires	Liberal Party	Nov 17, 1928	June 1932
Frederick C. Alderdice	United Newfoundland Party	June 1932	Jan 30, 1934

(*) Colonial Prime Minister until 1907.

(*) A National Government was formed in 1917 due to a wartime crisis over conscription.

[edit] Chairmen of Commission of Government

From 1934 to 1949, Newfoundland was ruled by Commission of Government. A six member Commission appointed by the UK, with three British and three Newfoundland appointees.

	Term	Chairman
	1934-1935	David Murray Anderson
	1936-1946	Humphrey T. Walwyn
	1946-1949	Gordon MacDonald

[edit] Premiers of the Province of Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland joined Canadian confederation in 1949.

Name	Party	From	To
Joseph R. Smallwood	Liberal	April 1, 1949	January 18, 1972
Frank D. Moores	Progressive Conservative	January 18, 1972	March 26, 1979
Brian Peckford	Progressive Conservative	March 26, 1979	March 22, 1989
Thomas Rideout	Progressive Conservative	March 22, 1989	May 5, 1989
Clyde Wells	Liberal	May 5, 1989	January 26, 1996
Brian Tobin	Liberal	January 26, 1996	October 16, 2000
Beaton Tulk	Liberal	October 16, 2000	February 13, 2001
Roger Grimes	Liberal	February 13, 2001	November 6, 2003
Danny Williams	Progressive Conservative	November 6, 2003	in office

v • d • e Lists of Canadian first ministers
Federal	Canada • Province of Canada (historical)
Provincial	British Columbia • Alberta • Saskatchewan • Manitoba Ontario • Quebec • New Brunswick • Prince Edward Island Nova Scotia • Newfoundland and Labrador
Territorial	Yukon • Northwest Territories • Nunavut