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Randy Edmunds (politician)

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Randy Edmunds
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Torngat Mountains
In office
October 27, 2011 – April 17, 2019
Preceded byPatty Pottle
Succeeded byLela Evans
Personal details
Political partyLiberal
RelationsLela Evans (cousin)
Anthony Andersen (uncle)
Wally Andersen (uncle)
Residence(s)Makkovik, Newfoundland and Labrador

Randy Edmunds is a Canadian politician in Newfoundland and Labrador. He was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in the 2011 provincial election.[1] A member of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, he represented the electoral district of Torngat Mountains until 2019.

Personal life

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Edmunds is the son of William "Bill" Edmunds (1932–1983),[2] co-founder of the Labrador Inuit Association (predecessor to Nunatsiavut) and Ruth Flowers (1940–2015), an advocate for women's issues in Labrador.[3] Edmunds is the owner and operator of the Adlavik Inn in Makkovik. He is married to Lori Dyson[4] who unsuccessfully sought the Liberal nomination for Lake Melville and currently serves on the town council of Happy Valley-Goose Bay.

His uncle Wally Andersen is also a politician.[5]

Political career

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Edmunds, who is of Inuit descent and was born in North West River, was first elected in 2011.[6][7][8] His district is the largest of the provincial electoral districts covering roughly 28% of the province's area. However, this district contains only 6 communities, none of which are reachable by road[9][10] and the total population is below 4,000 (as of 2011). The district includes the Inuit self-governing territory known as Nunatsiavut, as well as the Naskapi community of Natuashish.

Edmunds was re-elected in 2015[11] but with only around 700 votes. His district had the lowest turnout in the province (less than 40% of eligible voters voted).

Edmunds was defeated in the 2019 provincial election by his cousin Progressive Conservative candidate Lela Evans.[12][13]

Edmunds opposed the Muskrat Falls hydro development.[14][15]

Electoral record

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2019 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Progressive Conservative Lela Evans 623 56.64 +53.90
Liberal Randy Edmunds 477 43.36 -48.46
Total valid votes 1,100
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Progressive Conservative gain from Liberal Swing +51.58
2015 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Randy Edmunds 779 92.6% +43.5
  NDP Mark Sharkey 39 4.6% -7.7
Progressive Conservative Sharon Vokey 23 2.7% -36.0

[16]

2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Liberal Randy Edmunds 744 49.08% +6.72
Progressive Conservative Patty Pottle 586 38.65% -10.17
  NDP Alex Saunders 186 12.27%

References

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  1. ^ "Plenty of new faces heading to Confederation Building" . CBC News, October 12, 2011.
  2. ^ https://www.itk.ca/wp-content/uploads/2016/11/1984-0055-InuktitutMagazine-IUCANS-IULATN-EN.pdf [bare URL PDF]
  3. ^ "RANDY EDMUNDS". The Liberal Party of Newfoundland & Labrador. Retrieved 2020-02-29.
  4. ^ @PeterCBC (15 June 2014). "Just interviewed Lori Dyson, the wife of Randy Edmunds who is seeking the Liberal nomination in Lake Melville. Husband and wife pols?#nlpoli" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  5. ^ "Randy Edmunds is the Liberal Candidate for Upcoming Provincial Election | OKâlaKatiget Society". 16 May 2011.
  6. ^ "Randy Edmunds". Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  7. ^ "Aboriginal sentences sometimes too light, Inuit MHA says". Archived from the original on 2016-10-11. Retrieved 2016-10-10.
  8. ^ "Skinner, Pottle lose but most PC ministers re-elected". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 25 May 2018.
  9. ^ Moore, Angel (Apr 5, 2020). "Indigenous leaders asking that access to Labrador be sealed off". APTN News. Retrieved Oct 16, 2020.
  10. ^ Churchill Duke, Laura (20 Sep 2019). "Hopedale woman circulating petition calling for the province to subsidize flights to northern Labrador". Saltwire. Retrieved 23 July 2021.
  11. ^ "Full list of winners in Newfoundland and Labrador election". CBC News, November 30, 2015.
  12. ^ "Here are 3 of the 14 first-timers headed to the House of Assembly" Archived 2019-05-23 at the Wayback Machine. CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, May 17, 2019.
  13. ^ "Cabinet ministers Letto and Hawkins among 9 defeated Liberals". CBC News Newfoundland and Labrador, May 17, 2019.
  14. ^ "Labrador MHA torn over Muskrat Falls mercury fears". CBC News. 2016-06-18. Archived from the original on 2022-05-21.
  15. ^ "Resigning over Muskrat Falls won't solve anything, says Torngat Mountains MHA Randy Edmunds". CBC News. 2016-10-14. Archived from the original on 2022-06-03.
  16. ^ "2015 Provincial Election Report" (PDF). Elections Newfoundland and Labrador. Archived (PDF) from the original on 13 January 2017. Retrieved 27 September 2016.