Peter Penashue

The Honourable
Peter Penashue
PC, MP
Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs, President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 18, 2011
Prime Minister Stephen Harper
Preceded by Josée Verner
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for Labrador
Incumbent
Assumed office
May 30, 2011
Preceded by Todd Russell
Personal details
Born April 19, 1964 (1964-04-19) (age 47)
Sheshatshiu, Newfoundland and Labrador
Nationality Canadian
Political party Conservative
Spouse(s) Mary Ann
Children 4
Profession Innu leader, businessman
Cabinet Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada
Website Official website

Peter Penashue, PC, MP ( /pɛˈnæʃw/; born April 19, 1964) is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada currently serving as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. He was elected as the Conservative Party of Canada Member of Parliament for the riding of Labrador in the 2011 federal election.[1]

Penashue is the first Innu from Labrador to ever be elected to the Canadian House of Commons as well as the first Innu cabinet minister in Canadian history, he was also the first Conservative to be elected from the riding of Labrador since 1968.[2]

Contents

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Background

Penashue was born in the Innu community of Sheshatshiu, Newfoundland and Labrador. He attended elementary and secondary school in Sheshatshiu before continuing his education in St. John's, where he graduated from Brother Rice High School and pursued studies at Memorial University of Newfoundland.

Penashue assumed a number of leadership roles in the Labrador Innu community, from Land Claims Director, Executive Director and Financial Administrator with the Naskapi Montagnais Innu to Grand Chief of the Innu Nation.

Penashue was elected President of the Innu Nation at the age of 26, and served as Grand Chief of the Innu Nation, for twelve years, from 1990 to 1997 and 1999 to 2004, and was the driving force behind the negotiation of the impacts-benefit agreement between the Innu Nation and the Voisey's Bay Nickel Company. He was also elected to the position of Deputy Grand Chief of the Innu Nation in Sheshatshiu in 2007 and stepped down on March 9, 2010.[3]

Federal politics

Penashue was elected to the Canadian House of Commons in the Canadian federal election, 2011, in the riding of Labrador. Penashue's challenger, Liberal incumbent Todd Russell, had originally been declared by the media as retaining his seat early on election night but after the last five polls were counted Penashue overtook Russell and was ultimately declared the winner.[4] Penashue's original margin of victory of 231 votes was reduced to 79 votes on recount.[5]

Cabinet Minister

On May 18, 2011, Penashue was sworn in as the Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs and President of the Queen's Privy Council for Canada. He is the first Innu to ever be sworn into the Canadian Cabinet.[1]

Personal life

He is married and currently lives in Sheshatshiu with his wife Mary Ann. They have four children, Jean-Paul, Peter Robert, Thea and Pupun Halina, and four grandchildren, Seth Connor, Grayson, Meshkuss and Starla.

Election results

Canadian federal election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
     Conservative Peter Penashue 4,256 39.81 +31.84%
     Liberal Todd Russell 4,177 39.07 -31.21%
     New Democrat Jacob Larkin 2,120 19.83 +1.98%
     Green George C.R. Barrett 139 1.30 -2.61%
Total valid votes/Expense limit 10,692 100.00
Total rejected ballots 52 0.48%
Turnout 10,744 53.44

References

External links

28th Ministry – Cabinet of Stephen Harper
Cabinet Posts (1)
Predecessor Office Successor
Josee Verner Minister of Intergovernmental Affairs
2011–present
incumbent

post2 = President of the Privy Council post2years = 2011-present post2preceded = Josee Verner post2followed = incumbent