Leader of the Opposition (Newfoundland and Labrador)

{{Short description|Parliamentary position of the House of Assembly in Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada}}

{{Infobox Political post

|post = Leader of the Official Opposition

|body =

|nativename =

|department =

|image = Tony Wakeham 2022.jpg

|alt =

|incumbent = Tony Wakeham

|incumbentsince =

|style =

|residence =

|nominator =

|nominatorpost =

|appointer =

|appointerpost =

|termlength = While leader of the largest party not in government

|inaugural = John Gilbert Higgins

|formation = April 1, 1949

|last =

|abolished =

|succession =

|deputy =

|salary =

|website =

}}

The leader of His Majesty's Loyal Opposition in Newfoundland and Labrador is a title traditionally held by the leader of the largest party not in government in the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly.

This list is incomplete

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
scope="col" \| Portrait ! scope="col" width="200px" \| Name Electoral district (Birth–Death) ! scope="col" width="100px" \| Term of office ! colspan="2" \|Party
\|John Gilbert Higgins MHA for St. John's East (1891–1963) \|1949–1951 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \| width="100px" \|Progressive Conservative
\|Peter John Cashin MHA for Ferryland (1890–1977) \|1951–1953 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Malcolm Mercer Hollett MHA for St. John's West (1891–1985) \|1953–1959 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|James Greene MHA for St. John's East (1928–2014) \|1960–1966 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Noel Murphy MHA for Humber East (1915–2005) \|1966 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Gerry Ottenheimer{{Efn\|Ottenheimer served from 1967 to 1969 following Murphy's loss of his seat in the 1966 election.[http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/1998/exec/0119n01.htm]}} MHA for St. John's East (1934–1998) \|1967–1969 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Anthony Joseph Murphy{{Efn\|Acting for Progressive Conservative Party leader Frank Moores who was elected party leader but did not gain a seat in the House of Assembly until 1971.}} MHA for St. John's East (1913–1996) \|1969–1971 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Frank Moores MHA for Humber West (1933–2005) \|1971–1972 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
108x108px \|Joey Smallwood MHA for Placentia East (1900–1991) \|1972 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Edward Roberts MHA for White Bay North (1940–2022) \|1972–1977 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Steve Neary{{Efn\|Rowe defeated Roberts for the Liberal leadership in October 1977 and entered the House via a by-election in December. Stephen Neary was Leader of the Opposition in the interim. St. John's Evening Telegram, November 25, 1977.}} MHA for LaPoile (1925–1996) \|1977 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Bill Rowe MHA for Twillingate (born 1942) \|1977–1979 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
100x100px \|Don Jamieson MHA for Bellevue (1921–1986) \|1979–1980 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Len Stirling MHA for Bonavista North (1937–2024) \|1980–1982 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Steve Neary{{Efn\|Neary became Opposition Leader after Liberal leader Sterling lost his seat in the 1982 general election. He subsequently became interim party leader as well.}} MHA for LaPoile (1925–1996) \|1982–1984 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Leo Barry MHA for Mount Scio (born 1943) \|1984–1987 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Roger Simmons{{Efn\|Simmons was not party leader. He was Opposition Leader between the time that Leo Barry was deposed as Liberal leader and new leader Clyde Wells' acquisition of a seat via a by-election.}} MHA for Fortune-Hermitage (born 1939) (Interim) \|1987 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Clyde Wells MHA for Windsor-Buchans (born 1937) \|1987–1989 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Tom Rideout MHA for Baie Verte-Springdale (born 1948) \|1989–1991 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Len Simms MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans (born 1943) \|1991–1995 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Lynn Verge MHA for Humber East (born 1951) \|1995–1996 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Loyola Sullivan MHA for Ferryland (born 1949) (Interim) \|1996–1998 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
\|Ed Byrne MHA for Kilbride (born 1963) \|1998–2001 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
134x134px \|Danny Williams{{Cite news \|title=A biography of premier-designate Danny Williams \|url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/CTVNewsAt11/20031021/nfld_elxn_danny_williams_bio_031021/ \|work=CTV News \|date=October 21, 2003 \|access-date=January 7, 2011 \|url-status=dead \|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203025913/http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/CTVNewsAt11/20031021/nfld_elxn_danny_williams_bio_031021 \|archive-date=December 3, 2010 \|df=mdy-all }} MHA for Humber West (born 1949) \|2001–2003 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
97x97px \|Roger Grimes{{cite web \|title=Grimes resigns from political life \|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/grimes-resigns-from-political-life-1.561023 \|publisher=CBC News \|access-date=May 17, 2021 \|date=May 30, 2005}} MHA for Exploits (born 1950) \|2003–2005 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Gerry Reid MHA for The Isles of Notre Dame (born 1954) (Interim) \|2005–2007 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
104x104px \|Yvonne Jones{{cite news\|title=Jones takes on interim Liberal leadership\|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/jones-takes-on-interim-liberal-leadership-1.635573\|access-date=8 April 2014\|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation\|date=15 November 2007}} MHA for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair (born 1968) (Interim) \|2007–2010 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Kelvin Parsons{{cite news\|title=Opposition calls for timelines and action on neo-natal care improvements\|url=http://www.liberaloppositionnl.com/news_releases_2010/Sept%201-10%20Parsons%20Neonatal.htm\|accessdate=2 February 2012\|newspaper=Liberal Opposition\|date=1 September 2010\|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903234909/http://www.liberaloppositionnl.com/news_releases_2010/Sept%201-10%20Parsons%20Neonatal.htm\|archive-date=3 September 2012\|url-status=dead}} MHA for Burgeo and La Poile (Interim) \|2010–2011 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
104x104px \|Yvonne Jones MHA for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair (born 1968) (Interim) \|2011–2012 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
100x100px \|Dwight Ball MHA for Humber Valley (born 1957) (Interim) \|2012–2013 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
\|Eddie Joyce{{cite web\|title=Long-serving MHA Eddie Joyce named Opposition leader\|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/long-serving-mha-eddie-joyce-named-opposition-leader-1.1362061\|access-date=29 April 2018\|publisher=CBC News\|date=19 July 2013}} MHA for Bay of Islands (Interim) \|2013 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
100x100px \|Dwight Ball MHA for Humber Valley (born 1957) \|2013–2015 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|Liberal}}; " \| \|Liberal
102x102px \|Paul Davis{{cite news\|title=Paul Davis to resign as Progressive Conservative leader\|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/paul-davis-resign-progressive-conservative-leader-1.3799885\|access-date=11 October 2016\|publisher=CBC News\|date=11 October 2016}} MHA for Topsail-Paradise (born 1961) \|2015–2018 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
80x80px \|David Brazil MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Island (born 1963) (Interim) \|2018 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
106x106px \|Ches Crosbie{{cite web\|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/news/local/ches-crosbie-victorious-in-windsor-lake-243337/\|title=Ches Crosbie victorious in Windsor Lake\|website=The Telegram\|date=September 20, 2018}} MHA for Windsor Lake (born 1953) \|2018–2021 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
80x80px \|David Brazil{{Cite news\|last=Staff\|first=CBC News\|date=31 March 2021\|title=PC Leader Ches Crobie stepping down as head of party\|work=CBC News\|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation\|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ches-crosbie-mar-31-1.5971034\|access-date=2 November 2021}} MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Island (born 1963) (Interim) \|2021–2023 \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative
80x80px \|Tony Wakeham{{cite news\|title=Tony Wakeham wins PC leadership, setting stage for next election \|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/tory-leadership-newfoundland-labrador-1.6995742 \|access-date= Oct 14, 2023 \|publisher=CBC News \|date= Oct 14, 2023}} MHA for Stephenville-Port au Port \|2023–present \| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour\|NL\|PC}}; " \| \|Progressive Conservative

class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"

scope="col" | Portrait

! scope="col" width="200px" | Name
Electoral district
(Birth–Death)

! scope="col" width="100px" | Term of office

! colspan="2" |Party

|John Gilbert Higgins
MHA for St. John's East
(1891–1963)

|1949–1951

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

| width="100px" |Progressive Conservative

|Peter John Cashin
MHA for Ferryland
(1890–1977)

|1951–1953

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Malcolm Mercer Hollett
MHA for St. John's West
(1891–1985)

|1953–1959

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|James Greene
MHA for St. John's East
(1928–2014)

|1960–1966

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Noel Murphy
MHA for Humber East
(1915–2005)

|1966

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Gerry Ottenheimer{{Efn|Ottenheimer served from 1967 to 1969 following Murphy's loss of his seat in the 1966 election.[http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/1998/exec/0119n01.htm]}}
MHA for St. John's East
(1934–1998)

|1967–1969

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Anthony Joseph Murphy{{Efn|Acting for Progressive Conservative Party leader Frank Moores who was elected party leader but did not gain a seat in the House of Assembly until 1971.}}
MHA for St. John's East
(1913–1996)

|1969–1971

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Frank Moores
MHA for Humber West
(1933–2005)

|1971–1972

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

108x108px

|Joey Smallwood
MHA for Placentia East
(1900–1991)

|1972

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Edward Roberts
MHA for White Bay North
(1940–2022)

|1972–1977

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Steve Neary{{Efn|Rowe defeated Roberts for the Liberal leadership in October 1977 and entered the House via a by-election in December. Stephen Neary was Leader of the Opposition in the interim. St. John's Evening Telegram, November 25, 1977.}}
MHA for LaPoile
(1925–1996)

|1977

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Bill Rowe
MHA for Twillingate
(born 1942)

|1977–1979

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

100x100px

|Don Jamieson
MHA for Bellevue
(1921–1986)

|1979–1980

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Len Stirling
MHA for Bonavista North
(1937–2024)

|1980–1982

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Steve Neary{{Efn|Neary became Opposition Leader after Liberal leader Sterling lost his seat in the 1982 general election. He subsequently became interim party leader as well.}}
MHA for LaPoile
(1925–1996)

|1982–1984

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Leo Barry
MHA for Mount Scio
(born 1943)

|1984–1987

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Roger Simmons{{Efn|Simmons was not party leader. He was Opposition Leader between the time that Leo Barry was deposed as Liberal leader and new leader Clyde Wells' acquisition of a seat via a by-election.}}
MHA for Fortune-Hermitage
(born 1939)
(Interim)

|1987

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Clyde Wells
MHA for Windsor-Buchans
(born 1937)

|1987–1989

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Tom Rideout
MHA for Baie Verte-Springdale
(born 1948)

|1989–1991

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Len Simms
MHA for Grand Falls-Windsor-Buchans
(born 1943)

|1991–1995

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Lynn Verge
MHA for Humber East
(born 1951)

|1995–1996

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Loyola Sullivan
MHA for Ferryland
(born 1949)
(Interim)

|1996–1998

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

|Ed Byrne
MHA for Kilbride
(born 1963)

|1998–2001

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

134x134px

|Danny Williams{{Cite news |title=A biography of premier-designate Danny Williams |url=http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/CTVNewsAt11/20031021/nfld_elxn_danny_williams_bio_031021/ |work=CTV News |date=October 21, 2003 |access-date=January 7, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101203025913/http://www.ctv.ca/CTVNews/CTVNewsAt11/20031021/nfld_elxn_danny_williams_bio_031021 |archive-date=December 3, 2010 |df=mdy-all }}
MHA for Humber West
(born 1949)

|2001–2003

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

97x97px

|Roger Grimes{{cite web |title=Grimes resigns from political life |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/grimes-resigns-from-political-life-1.561023 |publisher=CBC News |access-date=May 17, 2021 |date=May 30, 2005}}
MHA for Exploits
(born 1950)

|2003–2005

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Gerry Reid
MHA for The Isles of Notre Dame
(born 1954)
(Interim)

|2005–2007

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

104x104px

|Yvonne Jones{{cite news|title=Jones takes on interim Liberal leadership|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/jones-takes-on-interim-liberal-leadership-1.635573|access-date=8 April 2014|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=15 November 2007}}
MHA for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair
(born 1968)
(Interim)

|2007–2010

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Kelvin Parsons{{cite news|title=Opposition calls for timelines and action on neo-natal care improvements|url=http://www.liberaloppositionnl.com/news_releases_2010/Sept%201-10%20Parsons%20Neonatal.htm|accessdate=2 February 2012|newspaper=Liberal Opposition|date=1 September 2010|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120903234909/http://www.liberaloppositionnl.com/news_releases_2010/Sept%201-10%20Parsons%20Neonatal.htm|archive-date=3 September 2012|url-status=dead}}
MHA for Burgeo and La Poile
(Interim)

|2010–2011

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

104x104px

|Yvonne Jones
MHA for Cartwright-L'Anse au Clair
(born 1968)
(Interim)

|2011–2012

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

100x100px

|Dwight Ball
MHA for Humber Valley
(born 1957)
(Interim)

|2012–2013

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

|Eddie Joyce{{cite web|title=Long-serving MHA Eddie Joyce named Opposition leader|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/long-serving-mha-eddie-joyce-named-opposition-leader-1.1362061|access-date=29 April 2018|publisher=CBC News|date=19 July 2013}}
MHA for Bay of Islands
(Interim)

|2013

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

100x100px

|Dwight Ball
MHA for Humber Valley
(born 1957)

|2013–2015

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|Liberal}}; " |

|Liberal

102x102px

|Paul Davis{{cite news|title=Paul Davis to resign as Progressive Conservative leader|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/paul-davis-resign-progressive-conservative-leader-1.3799885|access-date=11 October 2016|publisher=CBC News|date=11 October 2016}}
MHA for Topsail-Paradise
(born 1961)

|2015–2018

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

80x80px

|David Brazil
MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Island
(born 1963)
(Interim)

|2018

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

106x106px

|Ches Crosbie{{cite web|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/news/local/ches-crosbie-victorious-in-windsor-lake-243337/|title=Ches Crosbie victorious in Windsor Lake|website=The Telegram|date=September 20, 2018}}
MHA for Windsor Lake
(born 1953)

|2018–2021

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

80x80px

|David Brazil{{Cite news|last=Staff|first=CBC News|date=31 March 2021|title=PC Leader Ches Crobie stepping down as head of party|work=CBC News|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ches-crosbie-mar-31-1.5971034|access-date=2 November 2021}}
MHA for Conception Bay East - Bell Island
(born 1963)
(Interim)

|2021–2023

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

80x80px

|Tony Wakeham{{cite news|title=Tony Wakeham wins PC leadership, setting stage for next election |url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/tory-leadership-newfoundland-labrador-1.6995742 |access-date= Oct 14, 2023 |publisher=CBC News |date= Oct 14, 2023}}
MHA for Stephenville-Port au Port

|2023–present

| style="width:1px; background:{{Canadian party colour|NL|PC}}; " |

|Progressive Conservative

Notes

References

Category:Politics of Newfoundland and Labrador

Category:Members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly

Category:Newfoundland and Labrador politics-related lists

Newfoundland and Labrador