Beaton Tulk
7th Premier of Newfoundland
In office
October 16, 2000 – February 13, 2001
MonarchElizabeth II
Lieutenant GovernorArthur Maxwell House
Preceded byBrian Tobin
Succeeded byRoger Grimes
Deputy Premier of Newfoundland
In office
August 4, 2000 – October 16, 2000
MHA for Fogo
In office
June 18, 1979 – April 20, 1989
Succeeded bySam Windsor
MHA for Fogo
In office
May 3, 1993 – February 22, 1996
Preceded bySam Windsor
Succeeded byriding dissolved
MHA for Bonavista North
In office
February 22, 1996 – April 2, 2002
Preceded byTom Lush
Succeeded byHarry Harding
Personal details
BornMay 22, 1944
Ladle Cove, Newfoundland
DiedMay 23, 2019(2019-05-23) (aged 75)
Musgravetown, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada[citation needed]
Political partyLiberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
Other political
affiliations		Liberal Party of Canada
SpouseDora Tulk (until his death)
OccupationTeacher, politician
CabinetMinister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods (May 1997 – July 1997), Minister of Development and Rural Renewal (July 1997 – October 2000)

Beaton Tulk (May 22, 1944 – May 23, 2019) was a Canadian educator, civil servant and politician. He served as the seventh premier of Newfoundland from 2000 to 2001 as a member of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador. To date, he is the last premier of the province to be born in the British dependent territory of Newfoundland, before its accession to Canada as a province.

Early life

Born in Ladle Cove, Newfoundland, Tulk was the youngest son of Sadie and Japhet Tulk.[1] He graduated from Memorial University with BA, B.Ed, and Master of Educational Administration degrees.[2] He also later obtained a Canadian Securities Investment Diploma.[3] An educator prior to politics, he was a supervising principal for the Carmanville school system from 1974 to 1979.[3][4]

Political career

Tulk was first elected to the Newfoundland House of Assembly in 1979 as the Liberal Party of Newfoundland (later Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador) member for Fogo, and was re-elected in 1982 and 1985.[5][6] He was defeated in the 1989 election, and in 1990 became the Assistant Deputy Minister of Children and Youth Services for the Newfoundland government.[3][7][8] He was returned to the House of Assembly for Fogo in 1993.[9] He was then elected in the newly redistributed riding of Bonavista North in 1996, and re-elected in 1999.[10][11]

Tulk was appointed Minister of Forest Resources and Agrifoods in May 1997 and Minister of Development and Rural Renewal in July 1997.[1][12] In December 1998, he stepped down from cabinet when he was the subject of allegations of wrongdoing by the owner of a private college.[13] He was cleared of any wrongdoing by the police and by a commissioner's report, and returned to the cabinet in April 1999.[13][14] He was appointed Deputy Premier in August 2000[15] and Premier of Newfoundland in October 2000 when his predecessor, Brian Tobin, returned to federal politics.[16] He was not a candidate in the race to succeed Tobin as Liberal leader and returned to the position of Deputy Premier in February 2001 when Roger Grimes was elected Liberal leader and sworn in as Premier.[12]

In 2002, Tulk resigned his provincial seat to run unsuccessfully for the federal Liberals for the House of Commons of Canada seat of Gander—Grand Falls in a by-election after George Baker was appointed to the Senate, but was defeated by Rex Barnes.[17][18] Tulk then tried to return to provincial politics, running in the provincial by-election resulting from his own resignation, but was defeated by Harry Harding.[19]

On December 16, 2002, Tulk was appointed by the federal government of Jean Chrétien to the Canadian Transportation Agency.[8]

Later life

In 2018, Flanker Press released his autobiography, A Man of My Word, co-written by Laurie Blackwood Pike.[20][21] He lived in Musgravetown with his wife Dora during his final years.[22]

Tulk died from prostate cancer on May 23, 2019, one day after his 75th birthday.[23] He was diagnosed with the illness fifteen years prior to his death.[4] Prime Minister Justin Trudeau praised Tulk's career of "putting people first" citing his death as a "loss of a great Canadian and a great Liberal".[4]

References

  1. ^ a b "Joan Sullivan: Anecdotes from Beaton Tulk a lively read". The Telegram. July 7, 2018. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  2. ^ "Beaton Tulk". Flanker Press. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  3. ^ a b c "New Cabinet Sworn In". releases.gov.nl.ca. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Executive Council. March 14, 1996. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  4. ^ a b c "Beaton Tulk, former N.L. premier and longtime Liberal campaigner, dead at 75". CBC news. May 23, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  5. ^ "Election Returns 1982" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. August 25, 1982. p. 18. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  6. ^ "Election Returns 1985" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. October 22, 1985. p. 19. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  7. ^ "Election Statistics 1989" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. p. 13. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  8. ^ a b "Appointment to the Canadian Transportation Agency". Transport Canada. December 12, 2002. Archived from the original on June 7, 2011. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  9. ^ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. 1993. p. 4. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  10. ^ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. October 28, 1996. p. 3. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  11. ^ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. November 9, 1999. p. 3. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  12. ^ a b "Former Premier Beaton Tulk Passes Away At 75". VOCM News. May 24, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  13. ^ a b "Beaton Tulk cleared of wrongdoing". CBC News. March 19, 1999. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  14. ^ "Beaton Tulk back in cabinet". CBC News. April 27, 1999. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  15. ^ "Senior government appointments announced". releases.gov.nl.ca. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Executive Council. August 18, 2000. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  16. ^ "Statement by Premier Tobin". releases.gov.nl.ca. Government of Newfoundland and Labrador Executive Council. October 16, 2000. Retrieved June 5, 2010.
  17. ^ "Liberals lose two 'safe' ridings in byelections". CBC News. May 14, 2002. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  18. ^ "Liberals reel from by-election defeats". The Globe and Mail. May 14, 2002. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  19. ^ "Report of the Chief Electoral Officer on the Bonavista North By Election July 24, 2002" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. 2002. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
  20. ^ "A Man of My Word". Flanker Press. Retrieved May 9, 2018.
  21. ^ "Beaton Tulk talks cancer, Joey and how he never really wanted the top job". CBC News. May 9, 2018. Retrieved May 26, 2018.
  22. ^ Pardy-Ghent, Pam (June 18, 2018). "Beaton Tulk Part 1: Family First". Newfoundland Herald. Retrieved May 23, 2019.
  23. ^ "Former Newfoundland and Labrador premier Beaton Tulk dead at 75". Saltwire Network. May 24, 2019. Retrieved November 27, 2020.
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