Jim Bennett (politician)

Jim Bennett is a Canadian author, lawyer and former politician in Newfoundland and Labrador. He was elected as the Member of the House of Assembly for St. Barbe in the 2011 provincial election serving until 2015.[1] In 2006, Bennett was acclaimed leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador, but resigned from the post after just three months. In 2013, Bennett unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of the provincial Liberal Party in their 2013 election.

Jim Bennett
Member of the Newfoundland and Labrador House of Assembly
for St. Barbe
In office
November 27, 2011 – November 27, 2015
Preceded byWallace Young
Succeeded byDistrict Abolished
Leader of the Newfoundland and Labrador Liberal Party
In office
February 6, 2006 – May 29, 2006
Preceded byGerry Reid interim
Succeeded byGerry Reid
Personal details
BornDaniel's Harbour, Newfoundland
Political partyLiberal
Spouse(s)Sandra Pupatello
OccupationLawyer
Websitewww.jimbennett.ca

Politics

Bennett entered provincial politics in 2006, after he was acclaimed leader of the Liberal Party. Due to internal conflicts with his party Bennett resigned as leader after just three months. He was replaced by former interim leader Gerry Reid.[2] In the 2007 general election he was unsuccessful in his bid to defeat Progressive Conservative incumbent Wallace Young. Bennett was elected to the Daniel's Harbour town council in the September 2009 municipal elections.[3]

In March 2010, Bennett was hired by the town of St. Anthony to help in a legal case over the moving of air ambulance service to Labrador. He filed an injunction to stop the province from moving the air ambulance services but was unsuccessful.[4]

In 2011, he once again ran in St. Barbe and this time was successful in defeating Young.[1] In March 2012, the governing Progressive Conservatives announced that a month earlier Bennett had left what they considered to be a threatening voice mail at cabinet minister Joan Burke's office. Bennett, who had been seeking help for a constituent, said in the recording that "If this problem is not resolved today, you can expect me to absolutely vilify your minister on Monday morning on Open Line." He went on to say "I will absolutely trash your minister, say what a bunch of idiots she’s got working in her department. Fix the problem and fix it today, or there will be lots of trouble." Bennett apologized in the House of Assembly for the message.[5]

In 2013, Bennett unsuccessfully ran for the leadership of the provincial Liberal Party in their 2013 election.[6]

Bennett's district of St. Barbe was abolished in the 2015 redrawing of districts, he unsuccessfully ran for the Liberal nomination in the district of Lewisporte-Twillingate. Following his nomination lost he subsequently retired following the 2015 election.

Personal life

Bennett is a lawyer, and is married to Sandra Pupatello, a former member of the Legislative Assembly of Ontario and Minister of Economic Development and Trade in the Ontario Liberal Party government of Dalton McGuinty.

Bennett is based in the western Newfoundland coast community of Daniel's Harbour after living a number of years in Windsor, Ontario. While living in Windsor, Bennett twice unsuccessfully sought election to Windsor's city council.

Provincial electoral history
2013 Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador leadership election
Ballot 1 Ballot 2 Ballot 3
Candidate Votes % Points % Votes % Points % Votes % Points %
Dwight Ball 10,944 45.94% 2,130.05 44.38% 11,306 48.45% 2,257.15 47.02% 12,598 60.64% 2,832.29 59.01%
Paul Antle 6,340 26.61% 1,321.15 27.52% 6,600 28.28% 1,397.86 29.12% 8,178 39.36% 1,967.71 40.99%
Cathy Bennett 5,252 22.05% 1,089.05 22.69% 5,431 23.27% 1,144.99 23.85%
Danny Dumaresque 670 2.81% 131.69 2.74%
Jim Bennett 617 2.59% 128.05 2.67%
Total 23,823 100.00 4,800.00 100.00 23,337 100.00 4,800.00 100.00 20,776 100.00 4,800.00 100.00
St. Barbe - Newfoundland and Labrador general election, 2011
Party Candidate Votes % ±
LiberalJim Bennett181645.05%
Progressive ConservativeWallace Young177844.11%–
     NDP Diane Ryan 437 10.84%
St. Barbe - 2007 Newfoundland and Labrador general election
Party Candidate Votes % ±
Progressive ConservativeWallace Young249158.65%–
LiberalJim Bennett156036.73%
     NDP Gary B. Noel 196 4.62%
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References
  1. "Plenty of new faces heading to Confederation Building". CBC News. 12 October 2011. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  2. "Bennett steps down as Liberal leader". CBC News. 8 May 2006. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  3. "Municipal elections 2009: Daniel's Harbour". CBC News. 29 September 2009. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  4. "Ex-N.L. Liberal chief hired in medevac fight". CBC News. 22 May 2010. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  5. "Bennett apologizes for controversial voice mail". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 8 March 2012. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
  6. "Jim Bennett announces run for Liberal leadership". Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. 28 June 2013. Retrieved 2 May 2018.
Preceded by
Gerry Reid (Interim)		 Leader of the Liberal Party of Newfoundland and Labrador
February 2006 - May 2006		 Succeeded by
Gerry Reid
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