Thomas Rideout

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Thomas Gerald Rideout (born June 25, 1948) is a politician and former Premier of Newfoundland.

Born in Fleur-de Lys, Newfoundland, Rideout was first elected to the provincial House of Assembly in 1975 as a Liberal but crossed the floor in 1980 to join the Progressive Conservative government of Premier Brian Peckford in its fight with Ottawa for control of offshore mineral resources. Rideout became minister of culture, recreation and youth in 1984 and became minister of fisheries in 1985. With Peckford's retirement from politics in 1989, Rideout was chosen Tory party leader and thus became premier of Newfoundland only to be defeated in the general election one month later by Liberal Clyde Wells. Rideout remained Leader of the Opposition until 1991 when he left politics for a federal appointment as a member of the Immigration and Refugee Board of Canada.

In 1997, he obtained his law degree, and was called to the Newfoundland bar in 1998.

In 1999, he re-entered public life, and was elected as a Progressive Conservative Member of the House of Assembly for the district of Lewisporte. He was re-elected in 2003, when the PC Party formed the government. He was appointed Minister Responsible for Aboriginal Affairs and Minister of Works, Services & Transportation (the name of which was later changed to Transportation and Works). In addition to these portfolios, Rideout served as acting Minister of Health and Community Services from September 27 to October 1, 2004. On November 8, 2005, Rideout was appointed Minister of Fisheries and Deputy Premier.