Roger Grimes
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Roger D. Grimes (born May 2, 1950) is a Newfoundland and Labrador politician. He is a former leader of the Liberal Party and was Premier of the province from 2001 until 2003. A teacher he is a former President of the Newfoundland and Labrador Teachers’ Association entering politics in 1989 when he was elected as a Liberal to the province's House of Assembly. Grimes entered the cabinet of Premier Clyde Wells in 1991 as minister of employment and labour relations and then served as minister of tourism, minister of education, minister of mines and energy and lastly minister of health until he won the 2001 leadership convention to succeed become Liberal party leader, beating John Efford by 14 votes in a fierce and divisive contest. Efford and fellow leadership contestant Paul Dicks subsequently left provincial politics saying they couldn't work with Grimes. Efford has since asserted that he rightfully won the contest, and that pocketfuls of money were exchanged on the convention floor, and a ballot box "misplaced" for several hours during the counting of the results. Many supporters of Grimes and Efford's later opponents painted Efford as a sore loser and self-serving politician because Efford's behaviour contributed to the demise of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland.
Grimes was sworn is as Premier in 2001. During his premiership the name of the province officially became Newfoundland and Labrador.
In 2003, the federal government declared a moratorium on the last remaining cod fishery in Atlantic Canada - in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. While Newfoundland was again the most directly affected province by this decision, communities on Quebec's North Shore and in other parts of Atlantic Canada also faced difficulties.
Premier Grimes, facing a pending election that fall, used the Gulf cod decision and perceived federal bias against the province as a catalyst to try to rally citizens around his administration. Grimes called for a review of the Act of Union by which the province had become a part of Canada and on July 2, 2003, the findings of the Royal Commission on Renewing and Strengthening Our Place in Canada (which Grimes had created in 2002) were released. Critics called this inquiry the "Blame Canada Commission". It noted the following stressors in the relationship between the province and Canada:
- The huge impact of the destruction of the cod stocks.
- Hydroelectricity resources in Labrador have primarily benefitted Quebec.
- Chronically high unemployment.
- Lowest per-capita income in Canada.
- The highest tax rates.
- The worst out-migration.
The report called for:
- more collaborative federalism;
- an action team to deal with the fishery;
- collaboration between Canada, Quebec, and Newfoundland and Labrador on the development of the Gull Island hydro site;
- revision of the Atlantic Accord so that offshore oil and gas reserves primarily benefit the province;
- immediate and realistic negotiations on joint management of the fishery.
Grimes often clashed with the federal Liberal government of Jean Chrétien and became increasingly critical of his predecessor, Brian Tobin. When Grimes accused the federal government of bias in the Gulf Cod decision, many even in Newfoundland saw him as stirring up trouble for political gain. After the unsuccessful "Blame Canada Commission", the electorate saw soon saw Grimes as too confrontational which made it more difficult for Newfoundland to win concessions from the federal government. Despite his attempts to strike an image as a fresh government Grimes and his Liberals were defeated in the 2003 provincial election by the Progressive Conservatives under Danny Williams bringing an end to 14 years of Liberal rule in Newfoundland and Labrador.
Although his popularity rose briefly during the public sector strike in early 2004, in which he opposed the government's plan to legislate strikers back to work, many in the province feel that Grimes has performed rather poorly as Leader of the Opposition. Recent provincial polls had only 14% of Newfoundlanders and Labradorians favoring him to be premier if an election was held. By contrast, Premier Williams has enjoyed approval ratings of 55% as of June 2005, and it was often as high as 74% when he secured the offshore oil agreement.
Grimes had already damaged the provincial-federal Liberal relationship during the Gulf cod confrontation in 2003, hurting his chances of a patronage appointment from the federal Liberal government. What has further hurt the Liberal Party of Newfoundland's attempt to repair that relationship is that Premier William's Conservatives have been able to establish a stronger working association with the ruling federal Liberals, notably in the off-shore oil revenues agreement. In return, the federal Liberals have been able to count on the provincial Conservatives for support, such as when Williams made statements favourable to the federal agenda such as supporting same-sex marraige and delaying a federal election to preserve the agreement, leaving the provincial Liberals snubbed again.
On May 30, 2005, Grimes stepped down as the leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador , he is quoted as saying that the time is right for him to retire from provincial politics. He said he has no particular plans, and will spend the summer considering his options.
An Interim Leader is expected to be appointed until a leadership convention can be held sometime in 2006.
| Preceded by: Beaton Tulk | Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador 2001–2003 | Succeeded by: Danny Williams |
| Preceded by: Beaton Tulk | Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party Leader 2001–2005 | Succeeded by: Gerry Reid (interim) |
| Preceded by: Danny Williams | Newfoundland and Labrador Leader of the Opposition 2003–2005 | Succeeded by: Gerry Reid |