Jack Harris (Newfoundland and Labrador politician)

John James "Jack" Harris MP (born October 27, 1948) is a Canadian lawyer and politician from Newfoundland and Labrador. Harris is the New Democratic Party (NDP) Member of Parliament for St. John's East. He represented the riding from 1987 to 1988 and again from 2008 to 2015, when he was defeated, before winning the seat again in the 2019 Canadian federal election. He is currently the only NDP member of the House of Commons from Atlantic Canada. Harris is also the former leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party (1992-2006).

Jack Harris

MP
Shadow Minister for National Defence
In office
April 19, 2012 – November 19, 2015
LeaderThomas Mulcair
Preceded byDavid Christopherson
Succeeded byJames Bezan
In office
May 26, 2011 – October 13, 2011
LeaderJack Layton
Nycole Turmel
Preceded byDominic Leblanc
Succeeded byDavid Christopherson
Member of the Canadian Parliament
for St. John's East
Assumed office
October 21, 2019
Preceded byNick Whalen
In office
October 14, 2008 – August 4, 2015
Preceded byNorman Doyle
Succeeded byNick Whalen
In office
July 20, 1987 – November 21, 1988
Preceded byJames McGrath
Succeeded byRoss Reid
Leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador New Democratic Party
In office
1992–2006
Preceded byCle Newhook
Succeeded byLorraine Michael
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi
St. John's East (1990-1996)
In office
December 11, 1990 – September 29, 2006
Preceded byShannie Duff
Succeeded byLorraine Michael
Personal details
Born (1948-10-27) October 27, 1948
St. John's, Newfoundland
Political partyNew Democratic Party
Spouse(s)Ann Martin
ResidenceSt. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador
ProfessionLawyer, Journalist

Politics
Harris with Jack Layton

Harris first became a member of the House of Commons of Canada after winning a by-election in the riding of St. John's East on July 20, 1987.[1] Harris was the second NDP candidate ever elected to the House of Commons in Newfoundland and Labrador.[2] He was subsequently defeated in the 1988 federal election.[3]

NL NDP Leader

Harris was elected to the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly in a 1990 by-election[4] and was unopposed when he was elected to succeed Cle Newhook as leader of the provincial New Democrats at a party convention held November 1992.[5] He was re-elected to the Legislature in the 1993, 1996, 1999, and 2003 elections. In 1997, Harris ran for Mayor of St. John's losing narrowly to Andy Wells. He was supported by Danny Williams in this election who had a public dispute with Wells regarding a strike in 1994.[6] He retired from provincial politics in 2006 and was succeeded by Lorraine Michael as leader of the party as well as the Member of the House of Assembly for Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi.[7][8][9] At the time of his departure, his former law partner Danny Williams was Premier of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Federal politics

In the 2008 federal election Harris was again elected as the Member of Parliament for the riding of St. John's East.[10] He received 74.1% of the vote, which was the fifth highest winning percentage in the election. Following the election Harris was appointed as the party's Critic for National Defence, and on several occasions has been named one of "The Backbench Top Ten", for his performance in the House of Commons, by Maclean's Magazine. Harris was re-elected in the 2011 federal election.[11] He lost the 2015 election in an upset to Liberal Party candidate Nick Whalen.[12][13] In May 2019, Harris successfully[14] sought the NDP nomination for St. John's East for the 2019 federal election.[15] Harris defeated Whalen in the 2019 election to regain his old seat.

Electoral history
2019 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticJack Harris21,16446.9%
LiberalNick Whalen14,96133.2%
ConservativeJoedy Wall8,18718.1%
GreenDavid Peters8181.8%
Total valid votes/Expense limit 45,130100.0  
Total rejected ballots
Turnout
Eligible voters
Source: Elections Canada[16]
2015 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
LiberalNick Whalen20,97446.73+38.96–
New DemocraticJack Harris20,32845.29-25.36–
ConservativeDeanne Stapleton2,9386.55-13.90–
GreenDavid Anthony Peters5001.11-0.02–
CommunistSean Burton1400.31––
Total valid votes/Expense limit 44,880100.0   $198,664.41
Total rejected ballots 1110.25–0.06
Turnout 44,99168.69+10.84
Eligible voters 65,499
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +32.16
Source: Elections Canada[17][18]
2011 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes%±%Expenditures
New DemocraticJack Harris31,38871.22-3.33
ConservativeJerry Byrne9,19820.87+11.61
LiberalJohn Allan3,0196.85-5.73
GreenRobert Miller4671.06-0.32
Total valid votes/Expense limit 44,072 100.00–
Total rejected ballots 1360.310.32
Turnout 44,20858.77+0.88–
Eligible voters 75,218 ––
St. John's East - 2008 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
New DemocraticJack Harris31,36974.63%
LiberalWalter Noel5,27312.34%
ConservativeCraig Westcott3,8729.21%
GreenHoward Story5861.39%
Progressive CanadianShannon Tobin5841.39%
Newfoundland and Labrador FirstLes Coultas3490.83%
Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, 2003 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     New Democrat Jack Harris 2,456
     Progressive Conservative Karen Carol 2,221
     Liberal Ray O'Neil 391
Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, 1999 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     New Democrat Jack Harris 2,179
     Liberal Pete Sousey 2,010
     Progressive Conservative Chris O'Brien 793
     Independent Shaun Dunn 53
     Independent Paul David Hillier 116
     Independent John Whelan 48
Signal Hill-Quidi Vidi, 1996 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     New Democrat Jack Harris 2,800
     Liberal Joan Cook 1,661
     Progressive Conservative Cy Mills 902
     Independent Jason Crummey 120
St. John's East, 1993 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     New Democrat Jack Harris 2,336
     Liberal Joan Cook 1,728
     Progressive Conservative Sean Fitzgerald 1,285
St. John's East, Newfoundland and Labrador by-election, December 11, 1990
Party Candidate Votes % +/-
     New Democrat Jack Harris 1,977 49.24
     Liberal Barbara Chalker 1,237 30.81
     Progressive Conservative John Ottenheimer 801 19.95
St. John's East - 1988 Canadian federal election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Progressive ConservativeRoss Reid21,50344.13+9.16
New DemocraticJack Harris17,19835.30-10.98
LiberalJim Baird9,28519.06+1.84
Christian HeritageRobert Tremblett7391.52Ø
Total valid votes 48,725
Canadian federal by-election, July 20, 1987: St. John's East
Party Candidate Votes
New DemocraticJack Harris15,842
     Progressive Conservative Tom Hickey 11,971
LiberalSteve Neary5,894
RhinocerosPeter Francis Quinlan527
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References
  1. "NDP sweeps three federal by-elections". The Globe and Mail. July 21, 1987.
  2. "NDP holds Hamilton Mountain, takes St. John's East from Tories". The Globe and Mail. July 21, 1987.
  3. "Soul-searching next on NDP agenda". The Globe and Mail. November 22, 1988.
  4. "NDP wins seat in Newfoundland". The Globe and Mail. December 12, 1990.
  5. "New leader for Newfoundland NDP". The Globe and Mail. November 16, 1992.
  7. "Harris stepping down as NDP leader". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 October 2005. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  8. "Harris's resignation clears way for Signal Hill byelection". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 29 September 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  9. "Do honourable thing and quit seat, Tories tell Harris". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 23 August 2006. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  10. "Former MP Harris sets sights on St. John's East". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 September 2008. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  11. "NDP's Harris landslide in St. John's East". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 2 May 2011. Retrieved 2 February 2013.
  12. "Jack Harris 'surprised' after being ousted by Nick Whalen in St. John's East". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  13. "NDP acknowledges defeat; loses two N.L. seats". The Telegram. St. John's. 20 October 2015. Retrieved 22 October 2015.
  14. https://jackharris.ndp.ca/
  16. "List of confirmed candidates". Elections Canada. Retrieved 3 October 2019.
  17. "October 19, 2015 Election Results — St. John's East (Validated results)". Elections Canada. 21 October 2015. Retrieved 24 October 2015.
  18. Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates Archived 2015-08-15 at the Wayback Machine
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