Keith Milligan
29th Premier of Prince Edward Island
In office
October 9, 1996 – November 27, 1996
MonarchElizabeth II
Lieutenant GovernorGilbert Clements
Preceded byCatherine Callbeck
Succeeded byPat Binns
Leader of the Prince Edward Island Liberal Party
In office
October 5, 1996 – March 5, 1999
Preceded byCatherine Callbeck
Succeeded byWayne Carew
Member of the Legislative Assembly of Prince Edward Island
for Cascumpec-Grand River
(2nd Prince; 1981–1996)
In office
February 2, 1981 – April 17, 2000
Preceded byGeorge Henderson (1980)
Succeeded byPhilip Brown
Personal details
Born
Keith Wayne Milligan

(1950-02-08) February 8, 1950 (age 73)
Inverness, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Political partyLiberal
Spouse
Deborah Foley
​
(m. 1978)​
Children3
Residence(s)Tyne Valley, Prince Edward Island, Canada
Alma materUniversity of PEI
Occupation
  • Teacher
  • farmer
ProfessionPolitician
Cabinet
  • Minister of Health and Social Services (1986–1989)
  • Minister Responsible for the Hospital and Health Services Commission (1986–1989)
  • Minister of Agriculture (1989–1993)
  • Minister of Education and Human Resources (1993–1994)
  • Minister of Transportation and Public Works (1994–1996)

Keith Wayne Milligan (born February 8, 1950) is a Canadian politician who was the 29th premier of Prince Edward Island, serving for seven weeks in the autumn of 1996. He was educated at Inverness District School, O'Leary Regional High School and the University of PEI, where he obtained Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Education degrees. He is married to the former Deborah Foley and they reside in Tyne Valley. They have three children - Charles Christian (Jolene), Olivia (Shawn) and Dustin.

Provincial politics

He was first elected to the Legislative Assembly of PEI in a by-election on February 2, 1981, and was re-elected in the general elections of 1982, 1986, 1989, 1993 and 1996. He served as interim Leader of the Opposition and Critic for Education. In 1986 he was appointed Minister of Health and Social Services and Minister Responsible for the Hospital and Health Services Commission.[1] In 1989, Milligan was appointed Minister of Agriculture.[2] In 1993 he was appointed Minister of Education and Human Resources and in 1994 he was appointed Minister of Transportation and Public Works.

Brief tenure as Premier

In October 1996, he was chosen leader of the governing Liberal party and became Premier, following Catherine Callbeck's resignation.[3] Milligan's Liberals lost the following November provincial election to Pat Binns' Progressive Conservatives.[4]

Federal politics

Having announced he would be seeking the Liberal nomination in the federal riding of Egmont,[5] on November 3, 2007, at the nominating Liberal convention, he lost the nomination to Robert Morrissey.[6] When Morrissey stepped down, however, Milligan was acclaimed as the new candidate on September 5, 2008.[7] He lost to Conservative candidate, Gail Shea in the 2008 election, in one of the narrowest results in the country.[8] A requested recount did not affect the result, and Milligan conceded.[9]

Since 2008

Milligan is a former elk farmer and silver fox rancher. He has previously been employed as a teacher with the Unit 1 School board and Regional Director of the West Prince Services Centre. He has been vice-president of the Tyne Valley Community Oyster Festival, a member of the West Prince Community Advisory Board, the Canadian National Fur Breeders' Association, the PEI Fur Breeders' Association, the Tyne Valley Fireman's Club and the Tyne Valley Community Sports Centre.

Electoral record

2008 Canadian federal election: Egmont
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Conservative Gail Shea 8,110 43.93 +12.97 $51,795.67
Liberal Keith Milligan 8,055 43.63 -9.54 $45,007.86
New Democratic Orville Lewis 1,670 9.05 -0.50 $2,245.18
Green Rebecca Ridlington 626 3.39 -1.80 $2,678.98
Total valid votes/expense limit 18,461 100.0     $67,686
Total rejected, unmarked and declined ballots 115 0.62 +0.01
Turnout 18,576 68.15 -3.57
Eligible voters 27,256
Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +11.26

References

  1. ^ "Oath taken, Ghiz names PEI Cabinet". The Globe and Mail. May 3, 1986.
  2. ^ "Ghiz drops three, ushers in four". The Globe and Mail. June 7, 1989.
  3. ^ "Milligan chosen leader of PEI Liberal Party". The Globe and Mail. October 7, 1996.
  4. ^ "Tories triumph in PEI election". The Globe and Mail. November 19, 1996.
  5. ^ "Milligan to seek Liberal nod in Egmont". CBC News. March 12, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  6. ^ "Morrissey looking forward to the campaign". The Journal Pioneer. November 3, 2007. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  7. ^ "Battle of Egmont looms". The Guardian. September 6, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  8. ^ "Judicial recount to be held in P.E.I. riding of Egmont". CBC News. October 18, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
  9. ^ "Gail Shea finally free to go to Ottawa". The Guardian. October 24, 2008. Retrieved June 5, 2015.
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