Shawn Skinner

Skinner was born and raised in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador. He studied at Memorial University of Newfoundland (MUN) before earning a diploma in applied arts from Cabot College and a Certificate in Adult Education from St. Francis Xavier University. In 1998, he became a member of the Canadian Institute of Management, from which he was granted the Professional Manager designation. For 20 years Skinner operated Keyin Technical College in St. John's, a private college specializing in business, information technology and health-related fields. From 1993 to 1997 he served as ward two councillor on St. John's City Council.{{cite web|title=Premier Williams Announces Changes to Cabinet|url=http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2007/exec/0119n02.htm|publisher=Government of Newfoundland and Labrador|access-date=1 February 2014|date=19 January 2007}}

In November 2002, Skinner lost the Progressive Conservative Party (PC Party) nomination in St. John's Centre to Paul Brown, who had been the party's candidate in the previous two elections. However, Brown resigned as the party's candidate the following year and Skinner won the nomination for the district in August 2003. In the October 2003, election Skinner easily defeated Minister of Finance Joan Marie Aylward, winning 55% of the popular vote.{{cite web|title=District Profile St. John's Centre|url=http://www.cbc.ca/nlvotes2003/riding/033/|publisher=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|access-date=1 February 2014}}{{cite news|last=Callahan|first=Brian|title=Big winners, near losers|newspaper=The Telegram|date=22 October 2003|page=A1}} In 2006, Skinner was appointed Parliamentary Assistant to Premier Danny Williams.

On January 19, 2007, Skinner was appointed Minister of Human Resources, Labour and Employment and the Minister responsible for Newfoundland and Labrador Housing. His appointment came after Paul Shelley, the department's former minister, announced he would not be seeking re-election in the October election.{{cite news|title=Williams shuffles cabinet heading into N.L. election stretch|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/williams-shuffles-cabinet-heading-into-n-l-election-stretch-1.637821|access-date=1 February 2014|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=19 January 2007}} In August 2007, Skinner said he planned to bring forth legislation to protect jobs of reservists who leave work for military duty.{{cite news|title=Provincial government to introduce legislation to protect jobs of reservists|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Regional/2007-08-08/article-1438081/Provincial-government-to-introduce-legislation-to-protect-jobs-of-reservists/1|access-date=9 February 2014|newspaper=The Telegram|date=8 August 2007}} Skinner's announcement was in response to Major Wallace Noseworthy, who called for the legislation after he was forced to quit his job in order to serve in Afghanistan. Noseworthy's employer would not grant him a leave of absence to serve.{{cite news|title=Protect job status, reservist pleads with N.L.|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/protect-job-status-reservist-pleads-with-n-l-1.657668|access-date=9 February 2014|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=30 July 2007}} In April 2008, the government brought forth changes to The Labour Standards Act to provide for unpaid leave for reservists.{{cite web|title=Province Introduces Amendments to Support Job Protection for Military Reservists|url=http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2008/exec/0422n08.htm|publisher=Government of Newfoundland and Labrador|access-date=9 February 2014|date=22 April 2008}}

In the October 9, 2007, general election Skinner was re-elected, winning 76% of the popular vote. Weeks later his ministerial portfolio was added to when he became Minister Responsible for Persons with Disabilities and Minister Responsible for the Labour Relations Agency.{{cite web|title=Premier Announces the Appointment of New Cabinet|url=http://www.releases.gov.nl.ca/releases/2007/exec/1030n02.htm|publisher=Government of Newfoundland and Labrador|access-date=1 February 2014|date=30 October 2007}}

On October 31, 2008, Skinner was appointed Minister of Innovation, Trade and Rural Development.{{cite news|title=Marshall, Kennedy swap seats as Williams shuffles cabinet deck|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/marshall-kennedy-swap-seats-as-williams-shuffles-cabinet-deck-1.742826|access-date=1 February 2014|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=31 October 2008}}

On December 3, 2010, Kathy Dunderdale succeeded Williams as Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador. The following week Dunderdale appointed Skinner as Minister of Natural Resources, her former portfolio. His appointment came on the heels of the government signing a partnership agreement to develop a multi-billion dollar hydro development at Muskrat Falls in Labrador.{{cite news|title=Dunderdale announces changes to cabinet|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2010-12-06/article-2020501/Dunderdale-announces-changes-to-cabinet/1|access-date=1 February 2014|newspaper=The Telegram|date=6 December 2010}}{{cite news|url=https://www.thestar.com/article/892746--6-2b-deal-reached-for-lower-churchill-power-project|title=$6.2B deal reached for Lower Churchill power project|work=The Toronto Star |date=November 18, 2010|access-date=February 8, 2014|first=Sue|last=Bailey}}

Despite easily winning his seat in 2003 and 2007, Skinner's St. John's Centre district was seen as being in play in the 2011 election. In the months leading up to the provincial election support for the New Democratic Party had surged and they were running businesswoman and filmmaker Gerry Rogers against Skinner. Skinner received support late in the campaign from St. John's Mayor Dennis O'Keefe, which was seen as an indication that Skinner was in risk of losing his seat.{{cite news|title=O'Keefe steps up for Skinner campaign|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/o-keefe-steps-up-for-skinner-campaign-1.1021650|access-date=8 February 2014|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=8 October 2011}} Despite the Progressive Conservative government easily being re-elected, Skinner went down to defeat on election night.[http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2011-10-11/article-2774286/Shawn-Skinner-loses-seat-to-NDP/1 "Shawn Skinner loses seat to NDP"] {{Webarchive|url=https://archive.today/20120913014552/http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2011-10-11/article-2774286/Shawn-Skinner-loses-seat-to-NDP/1 |date=2012-09-13 }}. The Telegram, October 11, 2011.{{cite web|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ndp-celebrates-historic-gains-1.1117282|title=NDP celebrates historic gains|publisher=CBC News|date=October 11, 2011|accessdate=May 21, 2019}}{{cite news|title=Skinner, Pottle lose but most PC ministers re-elected|url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/skinner-pottle-lose-but-most-pc-ministers-re-elected-1.1079786|accessdate=25 May 2018|newspaper=Canadian Broadcasting Corporation|date=12 October 2011}}

{{See also|2014 Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election}}

Following the resignation of Dunderdale as Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador and leader of the Progressive Conservative Party, Skinner's name was brought up as a potential successor. In February 2014, in an interview with The Telegram Skinner said “I don’t mind sharing with you that I’m very, very seriously considering this.” Skinner's major issue with regards to entering the race was the spending limit for candidates. Under the party constitution leadership candidates cannot spend over $200,000, but the party was looking at revising that amount upward. Skinner was worried about racking up debt if he lost the race, but felt he could raise $200,000.{{cite news|last=McLeod|first=James|title=Skinner looking at Tory leadership 'very very seriously'|url=http://www.thetelegram.com/News/Local/2014-02-06/article-3606051/Skinner-looking-at-Tory-leadership-%26lsquo%3Bvery-very-seriously%26rsquo%3B/1|access-date=8 February 2014|newspaper=The Telegram|date=6 February 2014}}

Skinner served as chair of End Homelessness St. John’s from 2012-2018. In 2015, Skinner served on the Electoral Boundaries Commission charged with reducing the number of seats from 48 to 40. He is currently the senior director, business development for Aecon Construction Group Limited.{{cite web|title=Shawn Skinner Biography|url=http://www.nlec.nf.ca/media/uploads/Shawn_Skinner-bio.pdf|publisher=Newfoundland and Labrador Employers Council|access-date=24 January 2014}} Skinner co-chaired the provincial PC Party's 2018 leadership convention. In 2020, Skinner announced his candidacy for the Ward 2 municipal by-election in St. John's.

In 2020, Skinner was elected to the St. John's City Council. He won 22.8% of the vote and defeated 7 other candidates.{{cite web| url = https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/ward-2-polls-close-1.5768990| title = Shawn Skinner wins Ward 2 seat on St. John's city council {{!}} CBC News}} He did not run for re-election in 2021.

{{Election box begin | title=2011 Newfoundland and Labrador general election}}

|-

{{Canadian party colour|NL|NDP|row}}

|NDP

|Gerry Rogers

|align="right"|2,569

|align="right"|54.44%

|align="right"|

|-

{{CANelec |NL |PC |Shawn Skinner |2,041 |43.25% |–}}

|-

{{CANelec|NL|Liberal|Carly Bigelow|109|2.31%|}}

|}

{{Election box begin | title=2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election[http://www.cbc.ca/nlvotes2007/riding/040/ Newfoundland & Labrador Votes 2007]. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved May 22, 2009.}}

|-

{{CANelec |NL |PC |Shawn Skinner |3332 |76.49% |–}}

|-

{{Canadian party colour|NL|NDP|row}}

|NDP

|Jane Robinson

|align="right"|650

|align="right"|14.92%

|align="right"|

|-

{{CANelec|NL|Liberal|Lori Ann Campbell-Martino|374|8.59%|}}

|}

{{Election box begin | title=2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election[http://www.cbc.ca/nlvotes2003/riding/043/ Newfoundland & Labrador Votes 2003]. Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved May 22, 2009.}}

|-

{{CANelec |NL |PC |Shawn Skinner |3349 |54.82 |–}}

|-

{{CANelec|NL|Liberal|Joan Marie Aylward|1763|28.85|}}

|-

{{Canadian party colour|NL|NDP|row}}

|NDP

|Carol Cantwell

|align="right"|956

|align="right"|15.65

|align="right"|

|}

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Category:Members of the Executive Council of Newfoundland and Labrador

Category:St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador city councillors

Category:Progressive Conservative Party of Newfoundland and Labrador MHAs

Category:Living people

Category:Year of birth missing (living people)

Category:21st-century members of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly