Chris Collins (Canadian politician)

Chris Collins (born June 23, 1962) is a politician from Moncton, New Brunswick, Canada, currently the sitting MLA (Liberal) for the riding of Moncton East, having previously served part of one term as a city councillor for Moncton City Council. On October 24, 2014 Collins was elected Speaker of the Legislative Assembly of New Brunswick succeeding Dale Graham.^[1]

Collins first entered politics as a New Brunswick New Democratic Party candidate in the 1987 election. He was not active in politics thereafter until his son, Sean, became ill with cancer in 2002. Frustrated by the lack of support by the lack of assistance in travel costs for him and his family to go see his son who was being treated at the IWK Health Centre in Halifax, Nova Scotia, he tried to meet his local Member of Legislative Assembly. That MLA was Bernard Lord, who was concurrently serving as Premier of New Brunswick and would not take his meetings.

Frustrated, Collins ran against Lord, a Progressive Conservative, under the Liberal banner. Collins made it a close race and for parts of election night, Collins led Lord, though Lord was eventually victorious by a margin of 10%. Collins sought election to Moncton City Council in the 2004 municipal elections and won. He was widely expected to face Lord in a rematch in what would have been the 2006 election but was travelling to Australia with his son when the election was called a year earlier than expected. Collins was elected however to replace Lord in a by-election on March 5, 2007 after Lord resigned the leadership of his party and his seat in the legislature following his government's defeat in the 2006 election.^[2]

Collins' son Sean died on July 9, 2007 at the age of 13.^[3]

References