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Ches Crosbie

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Ches Crosbie
KC
Leader of the Opposition
In office
October 12, 2018 – March 31, 2021[1]
Preceded byDavid Brazil
Succeeded byDavid Brazil
Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
In office
April 28, 2018 – March 31, 2021[2]
Preceded byPaul Davis
Succeeded byDavid Brazil (interim)
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Windsor Lake
In office
October 12, 2018 – March 27, 2021
Preceded byCathy Bennett
Succeeded byJohn Hogan
Personal details
Born
Chesley Furneaux Crosbie

(1953-06-12) June 12, 1953 (age 71)
St. John's, Newfoundland
Political partyProgressive Conservative
RelationsChesley Crosbie (grandfather),
Sir John Chalker Crosbie
(great-grandfather)
Parent(s)John Crosbie and Jane Crosbie
OccupationLawyer

Chesley Furneaux "Ches" Crosbie, KC (born 12 June 1953) is a Canadian lawyer and former politician. Crosbie was elected leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador on April 28, 2018 serving until March 31, 2021.[3][4] He served as the Leader of the Opposition in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly from 2018 until 2021.

Early life

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Crosbie is the eldest of three children of Jane (Furneaux) and John C. Crosbie and was born and raised in St. John's.[5] His father was a prominent figure in Newfoundland and Labrador and Canadian politics, a provincial and federal cabinet minister who also served as Lieutenant-Governor of the province (2008–13). Crosbie is also a grandson and namesake of Chesley A. Crosbie and the great-grandson of Sir John Crosbie, prominent businessmen and public figures in Newfoundland.

Crosbie's early education was at Bishop Feild College in St. John's, and at St. Andrews College in Aurora, Ontario. He was selected as Newfoundland and Labrador's Rhodes Scholar in 1976,[6] studying jurisprudence at Oxford, and continued his legal studies at Dalhousie University. There he met his future wife, Lois Hoegg, a native of Stellarton, Nova Scotia. She has been a Justice of the Newfoundland and Labrador Supreme Court since 2007. They have three daughters.[7]

Lawyer

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On completing law school, Crosbie returned to St. John's and was admitted to the bar in 1983. He founded Ches Crosbie Barristers in 1991. The firm developed expertise in class actions, and Crosbie first came into the public eye as an advocate for breast cancer patients affected by delayed and erroneous test results[8] (settled in 2009, see Cameron Inquiry), for the victims of moose-vehicle accidents, for users of video lottery terminals, and for the former residents of residential schools in Labrador (settled in 2016).[9] Crosbie was appointed Queen's Counsel in 2004.[10]

From an interest in helping injured children, Crosbie and his firm have given away thousands of bicycle helmets to young people across the province. He has worked on a pro bono basis with former shipyard employees attempting to get compensation for long-term health problems. He has also volunteered with heritage organizations such as the Sealer's Memorial and Interpretation Centre in Elliston, Trinity Bay,[11] and worked with the Placentia Historical Society and the Town of Placentia to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the 1941 meeting of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt and British Prime Minister Winston Churchill which established the Atlantic Charter.[12]

Politics

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Crosbie's earliest involvement in politics came as a supporter of his father, who was a candidate for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Canada in 1983. He is a long-time provincial Progressive Conservative and federal Conservative supporter.

In 2014, Crosbie announced his candidacy for the federal constituency of Avalon. However, in 2015, his candidacy was rejected by the Conservative Party of Canada, reputedly as the result of his "playful barbs" concerning Prime Minister Stephen Harper in a Shakespearean-parody fundraising skit.[13] His father, John Crosbie, then accused the federal Conservatives of squashing his son's candidacy because he was too independent and because Newfoundland senator David Wells wanted to keep his control over Newfoundland patronage appointments, an accusation that Wells denied.[14]

Leader of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador

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In February 2017, Crosbie announced an exploratory candidacy for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, following the resignation of leader and former Premier Paul Davis. On April 28, 2018, Crosbie defeated Health Authority CEO Tony Wakeham to succeed Davis.[15] The leadership convention operated under a mixed vote-points system in which a hundred points were awarded in each of 40 districts across the provinces, based on the percentage of vote each candidate won. The final tally was Crosbie with 2,298.92 and Wakeham with 1,701.08 points respectively.[3][16]

In August 2018, Crosbie announced his candidacy for the district of Windsor Lake following the resignation of MHA Cathy Bennett.[17][18] On September 20, 2018, Crosbie won the race and therefore became Leader of the Opposition.[19]

Crosbie led the party into the 2019 provincial election with the party increasing its seat count from 7 to 15. The PCs finished 1% behind the Liberals in the popular vote and the Ball government was reduced to a minority.[20][21][22][23] Crosbie was personally re-elected in Windsor Lake.

Crosbie endorsed Peter Mackay in the 2020 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.[24]

Crosbie led the party into the 2021 provincial election.[25] He was personally defeated in his district of Windsor Lake;[26] while the party lost one other seat, electing 13 MHAs. The Liberals under Furey won a majority government.[27] On March 31, 2021, Crosbie resigned as PC leader.[28][29]

Retirement

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On February 14, 2022, it emerged that Crosbie donated $800 to the protesters in the Freedom Convoy.[30] He endorsed Pierre Poilievre in the 2022 Conservative Party of Canada leadership election.[31]

Election results

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2021 Newfoundland and Labrador general election: Windsor Lake
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal John Hogan 2,688 50.58 +12.12
Progressive Conservative Ches Crosbie 2,154 40.53 -8.18
New Democratic Tomás Shea 472 8.88 -3.94
Total valid votes 5,314
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Liberal gain from Progressive Conservative Swing -10.15
Source(s)
"Officially Nominated Candidates General Election 2021" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Retrieved 3 March 2021.
"NL Election 2021 (Unofficial Results)". Retrieved 27 March 2021.
2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ches Crosbie 2,644 48.71 +6.01
Liberal Bob Osborne 2,088 38.47 +0.34
New Democratic Tomás Shea 696 12.82 -6.35
Total valid votes 5,428
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Progressive Conservative hold Swing +2.83
}
By-election - September 20, 2018
On the resignation of Cathy Bennett, August 21, 2018
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Ches Crosbie 2,034 42.70 +22.49
Liberal Paul Antle 1,816 38.13 -28.18
New Democratic Kerri Claire Neil 913 19.17 +5.69
Total valid votes 4,763
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +25.33
2018 Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election Point allocation by ballot
Candidate Ballot 1
Name Points
Ches Crosbie 2,298.92
57.47%
Tony Wakeham 1,701.08
42.53%
Total points 4,000.00

References

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  1. ^ @CBCMarkQuinn (31 March 2021). "Ches Crosbie stepping down #nlpoli" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  2. ^ @CBCMarkQuinn (31 March 2021). "Ches Crosbie stepping down #nlpoli" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  3. ^ a b "The new leader of the Progressive Conservative party in N.L. has a familiar last name". CBC News. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  4. ^ "PC Leader Ches Crosbie wins Windsor Lake byelection". www.cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 September 2018. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  5. ^ "QuickSketch: N.L. Progressive Conservative Leader Ches Crosbie". CityNews. 17 April 2019. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  6. ^ "Can Ches Crosbie connect? Lawyer soft launching bid for PC leadership". CBC News. 13 February 2017. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  7. ^ "John Crosbie's son seeks Conservative seat in Newfoundland". Toronto Star. 18 December 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2018.
  8. ^ "Judge needed for clarity in breast cancer negotiations: lawyer". CBC News. 8 October 2008. Archived from the original on 4 November 2012. Retrieved 6 February 2009.
  9. ^ CBC News, Here and Now, 14 March 2017. Video/interview with Ches Crosbie https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zGpiEwHgDJY
  10. ^ "Queen's Counsel Appointments". Government of Newfoundland and Labrador. Feb 26, 2004. Retrieved 1 September 2020.
  11. ^ Town of Elliston. "Memorials – Cenotaph & Sealers Memorial." http://www.townofelliston.ca/2at/seals.html
  12. ^ Robinson, Andrew (15 August 2016). "Atlantic Charter's 75th anniversary honoured in Ship Harbour". The Telegram. Archived from the original on 18 May 2017. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  13. ^ Wherry, Aaron (9 July 2015). "Why the Tories said no to a star candidate in Newfoundland". Macleans. Retrieved 29 April 2018.
  14. ^ "John Crosbie accuses N.L. Senator David Wells of sabotaging Ches Crosbie's bid". CBC News. 2 July 2015. Retrieved 4 October 2015.
  15. ^ "Ches Crosbie confirms PC leadership bid, then drops a bombshell". CBC News. 24 October 2017. Retrieved 28 November 2017.
  16. ^ "Ches Crosbie is the new leader of Newfoundland and Labrador's PC party". The Telegram. 28 April 2018. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  17. ^ "Party leaders spar over who should replace Cathy Bennett". CBC News. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  18. ^ "Ball, Crosbie come out swinging ahead of Windsor Lake byelection; NDP meets with displaced workers". The Telegram. 7 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  19. ^ "'It Means Trouble For The Liberals': Ches Crosbie Takes Seat In Windsor Lake". VOCM. Retrieved 21 September 2018.
  20. ^ Kelland, Ariana (17 May 2019). "Ches Crosbie is not talking — neither is Dwight Ball. But this MHA is back to work". www.cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  21. ^ Roberts, Terry (19 May 2019). "A compromised Judy Foote? Let's talk about Ches Crosbie, hyperbole and selective memory". www.cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  22. ^ Mackey, Gerri Lynn (17 May 2019). "From 'head on a platter' to 'my apologies': Ches Crosbie walks back election night outburst". www.ntv.ca. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  23. ^ Roberts, Terry (16 May 2019). "Ches Crosbie's potshots at Paul Antle draw harsh response in waning hours of campaign". www.cbc.ca. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 27 March 2021.
  24. ^ Crosbie, Ches. "Honoured to have the support of my friend @ChesCrosbie". Twitter. @PeterMacKay. Retrieved 15 May 2020.
  25. ^ Mullin, Malone; Moore, Mike (2021-01-15). "N.L. heading to the polls on Feb. 13 as Andrew Furey seeks Liberal majority". CBC News. Retrieved 2021-01-15 – via CBC Newfoundland and Labrador.
  26. ^ Kennedy, Alex (Mar 30, 2021). "'We pulled it off': Meet the candidates who took down the opposition leaders". CBC News. Retrieved May 30, 2021.
  27. ^ 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.
  28. ^ Staff, CBC News (31 March 2021). "PC Leader Ches Crobie stepping down as head of party". CBC News. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  29. ^ Smellie, Sarah (31 March 2021). "N.L. Tory leader Ches Crosbie delivers parting shot as he steps down after loss". Toronto Star. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  30. ^ "Ches Crosbie Among 'Freedom Convoy' Donors, Leaked Data Reveals". The Independent. 14 February 2022.
  31. ^ Moore, Mike (February 24, 2023). "Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre tours Newfoundland with promises to cut carbon tax". CBC News. Retrieved February 25, 2023.
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Ches Crosbie, Leader of the Official Opposition (archived)

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