David Brazil
MHA
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Conception Bay East–Bell Island
In office
December 20, 2010 – December 29, 2023
Preceded byDianne Whalen
Succeeded byto be elected
Interim leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
March 31, 2021 – October 14, 2023
Preceded byChes Crosbie
Succeeded byTony Wakeham
Leader of the Opposition
In office
March 31, 2021 – October 14, 2023
Preceded byChes Crosbie
Succeeded byTony Wakeham
In office
May 14, 2018 – October 12, 2018
Preceded byPaul Davis
Succeeded byChes Crosbie
Minister of Transportation and Works
In office
September 30, 2014 – December 14, 2015
Preceded byNick McGrath
Succeeded byAl Hawkins
Personal details
Born (1963-09-20) September 20, 1963 (age 60)
Political partyProgressive Conservative
Residence(s)St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
Lance Cove, Newfoundland and Labrador
OccupationBusinessman
public servant

David J. Brazil MHA (/ˈbræzəl/ BRAZ-əl; born September 20, 1963) is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador. He represented the district of Conception Bay East - Bell Island in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 2010 until 2023. He served as interim Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador and interim Leader of the Opposition from 2021 to 2023.

Brazil previously served as Opposition Leader in 2018 between the resignation of Paul Davis and the election of Ches Crosbie as MHA.

Political career

Government member

In November 2010, Brazil won the nomination to be the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador candidate in a by-election for the electoral district of Conception Bay East – Bell Island defeating five other candidates for the nomination.[1] The by-election was being held to replace the late Dianne Whalen who had died a month earlier.[2]

The by-election was called for December 2, 2010 with two other candidates running for the New Democrats and the Liberals.[1] One week before the by-election, on November 25, Premier Danny Williams announced that he would retire from politics on December 3, 2010.[3] With the announcement that the Premier would be resigning it left many wondering if Brazil, who was initially thought to easily hold on to the seat for the Tories, would be able to win now that the party's popular leader was stepping down. However, on December 2, 2010, Brazil defeated both the New Democratic and Liberal Party candidates, winning 66% of the popular vote.[4] The percentage of the vote was consistent with previous by-election wins the PCs had before the announcement that Williams was retiring.[5]

Brazil was re-elected with 55% of the vote in the 2011 election.[6] On July 17, 2014, Brazil was appointed to the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador as Minister of Service NL.[7][8] When Paul Davis took over as premier in September 2014, he moved Brazil to Minister of Transportation and Works.[9][10]

Opposition member

Brazil was re-elected in the 2015 election, defeating Liberal Danny Dumaresque by almost 1,900 votes.[11]

In 2017, Brazil declined to seek the leadership of the PC Party and endorsed Tony Wakeham in the 2018 election, serving as his campaign manager.[12]

Following the election of Ches Crosbie as PC leader in April 2018, Paul Davis announced he would resign as Leader of the Opposition. Since Crosbie did not have a seat in the House of Assembly when elected leader, Brazil was appointed the Leader of the Opposition on May 14, 2018.[13] On September 20, 2018 Crosbie won the district of Windsor Lake in a by-election, therefore becoming Leader of the Opposition.[14]

Brazil was re-elected in the 2019 provincial election.[15] Brazil was re-elected in the 2021 provincial election.[16] PC leader Crosbie was personally defeated in his district of Windsor Lake.[17] The Liberals under Furey won a majority government.[18] On March 31, 2021, Crosbie resigned as leader and Brazil was appointed interim Leader and interim Leader of the Opposition.[19][20] In 2022, Brazil suffered a major heart attack but returned to work a few months later. On January 16, 2023, Brazil announced he would not be a candidate in the 2023 provincial PC leadership election.[21][22] He was succeeded as leader by Tony Wakeham on October 14, 2023.[23]

On November 10, 2023, Brazil announced his resignation as MHA effective December 29, 2023.[24] The provincial by-election to replace him is scheduled for January 29, 2024.[25]

Electoral results

2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election: Conception Bay East–Bell Island
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative David Brazil 3,215 56.19 -17.60
Liberal Lynn Hammond 1,893 33.08 +6.87
New Democratic Gavin Will 614 10.73
Total valid votes 5,722 98.69
Total rejected ballots 76 1.31 -0.50
Turnout 5,798 50.12 -5.44
Eligible voters 11,569
Progressive Conservative hold Swing -12.23
Source(s)
"Officially Nominated Candidates General Election 2021" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved March 3, 2021.
"2021 Provincial General Election Report" (PDF). Retrieved January 16, 2024.
2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative David Brazil 4,365 73.8
Liberal Cyril Hayden 1,551 26.2
Total valid votes
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
2015 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes %
Progressive Conservative David Brazil 3,463 59.22
Liberal Danny Dumaresque 1,582 27.05
New Democratic Bill Kavanagh 803 13.73
Total valid votes 5,848 100.00
2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative David Brazil 3,059 55.00% −11.28%
  NDP Bill Kavanagh 2,290 41.17% +14.97%
Liberal Kim Ploughman 213 3.83% −3.68%
Conception Bay East - Bell Island: By-election – December 2, 2010 On the death of Dianne Whalen, October 3, 2010
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative David Brazil 2638 66.28% −5.51%
  NDP George Murphy 1043 26.20% +15.96%
  Liberal Joy Buckle 299 7.51% −10.46%

[4][26]

References

  1. ^ a b "Liberal staffer steps up for by-election". CBC News. November 16, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  2. ^ "N.L. cabinet minister Dianne Whalen succumbs to cancer". CTV News. October 3, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  3. ^ "Danny Williams retires as N.L. premier". CBC News. November 25, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  4. ^ a b "PC David Brazil wins N.L. by-election". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. December 2, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  5. ^ "Conservatives win Terra Nova byelection". CBC News. November 26, 2009. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  6. ^ "Conception Bay East – Bell Island". CBC News. October 11, 2011. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  7. ^ "Tom Marshall elevates 3 backbenchers to cabinet in shuffle". CBC News. July 17, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  8. ^ "Marshall shuffles cabinet to fill holes caused by PC leadership race". The Telegram. St. John's. July 17, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  9. ^ "Paul Davis taps Steve Kent as deputy premier". CBC News. September 30, 2014. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  10. ^ "Premier brings new face into cabinet room". The Telegram. St. John's. September 30, 2014. Archived from the original on March 4, 2016. Retrieved November 1, 2015.
  11. ^ "4 Tory cabinet ministers fall to defeat in Liberal rout". CBC News. December 1, 2015. Retrieved April 3, 2016.
  12. ^ "Outsiders like Crosbie, Wakeham only hope for PC Party rebuild, says political scientist". CBC News. December 4, 2017. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  13. ^ "David Brazil to replace Paul Davis as Opposition leader". CBC News. May 14, 2018. Retrieved May 14, 2018.
  14. ^ "PC Leader Ches Crosbie wins Windsor Lake byelection | CBC News".
  15. ^ "Crosbie breaks silence, backtracking from fiery speech on election night | CBC News".
  16. ^ "Here are all the MHAs elected in the Newfoundland and Labrador election". CBC News. March 27, 2021.
  17. ^ Kennedy, Alex (March 30, 2021). "'We pulled it off': Meet the candidates who took down the opposition leaders". CBC News. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  18. ^ Mullin, Malone (March 27, 2021). "Liberals claim slim majority in Newfoundland and Labrador, as voters tap Furey to lead". CBC News. Retrieved March 27, 2021.
  19. ^ Staff, CBC News (March 31, 2021). "PC Leader Ches Crobie stepping down as head of party". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  20. ^ Smellie, Sarah (March 31, 2021). "N.L. Tory leader Ches Crosbie delivers parting shot as he steps down after loss". Toronto Star. Retrieved November 2, 2021.
  21. ^ Roberts, Darrell. "David Brazil won't run for permanent PC leadership". CBC News. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  22. ^ Moore, Mike (January 17, 2023). "MHA Tony Wakeham makes bid for PC Party's leadership". CBC News. Retrieved January 17, 2023.
  23. ^ "Tony Wakeham wins PC leadership, setting stage for next election". CBC News. October 14, 2023. Retrieved October 14, 2023.
  24. ^ Antle, Sarah (November 10, 2023). "David Brazil, former Tory leader, stepping down in December". CBC News. Retrieved November 10, 2023.
  25. ^ "Official Candidates for the Conception Bay East – Bell Island By-Election".
  26. ^ "Premier Announces Date for By-Election in District of Conception Bay East – Bell Island". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. November 10, 2010. Retrieved November 1, 2015.

External links

Leaders of the Newfoundland and Labrador Progressive Conservative Party
Cabinet of Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador Paul Davis (2014–2015)
Categories