Peter Fenwick (politician)

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Peter Fenwick (born July 18, 1944) is a Canadian politician. He is a former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party.

Fenwick was born in St. Thomas, Ontario to Digby and Benoit Fenwick of Montreal and Stanbridge East. He and his wife Jennifer moved to Cape St George, Newfoundland in 1968.

He was a community college teacher when he was acclaimed provincial NDP leader at the party's convention on November 8, 1981.{{cite news |last1=Plaskin |first1=Robert |title=Peter Fenwick, the newly elected leader of the Newfoundland NDP |url=https://www.upi.com/Archives/1981/11/09/Peter-Fenwick-the-newly-elected-leader-of-the-Newfoundland/6078374130000/ |access-date=August 23, 2020 |work=United Press International |date=November 9, 1981}}

Fenwick was first elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in a 1984 by-election in Menihek, Labrador.{{cite news|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ndp-leader-michael-alone-again-1.669743|title=NDP Leader Michael alone again|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=October 9, 2007 |access-date=September 28, 2017 }} He was the first member of the party to be elected to a seat in the House of Assembly. He was re-elected in 1985. He stepped down as leader in 1989 and did not stand for re-election to the House of Assembly in that year's election. While leader of the party in 1986, he was arrested along with union representatives who participated in a strike by the Newfoundland Association of Public Employees (NAPE).{{cite news |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=2pA0AAAAIBAJ&sjid=SqgFAAAAIBAJ&pg=1115,5361410&dq=peter-fenwick&hl=en|title=Nfld. NDP leader jailed for strike role |date=November 29, 1986|work=The Gazette|page=10|access-date=January 28, 2011}}

In the 2000 federal election, Fenwick ran in the federal riding of Burin—St. George's for the Canadian Alliance Party, the predecessor of the Conservative Party, and came in fourth out five candidates.{{cite web|url=https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/fenwick-jumps-to-alliance-1.239874|title=Fenwick jumps to Alliance|website=Cbc.ca|access-date=February 10, 2022}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/federal-election/former-provincial-leader-says-lazy-organizers-failed-ndp-115747/ |title=Former provincial leader says lazy organizers failed NDP |first=Cory|last=Hurley|website=Saltwire.com|access-date=February 10, 2022}}

Fenwick has since become a high-profile journalist, columnist, and commentator.

Fenwick opened, Inn at the Cape, a B&B in Cape St. George in 2002, and in 2006, became the president of the Newfoundland and Labrador B&B Association, a position he held until October 2009.

Fenwick became the mayor of the Town of Cape St. George in September 2005 and was acclaimed to the position in September 2009. During his term as Mayor he served as the chair of the Southwest Coast Joint Municipal Council.