31 Facts About Brian Peckford

Alfred Brian Peckford was born on August 27,1942 and is a Canadian politician who served as the third premier of Newfoundland from March 26,1979 to March 22,1989.

Brian Peckford served as a cabinet minister in Frank Moores' government before he was elected as PC leader in 1979 following Moores' retirement.

Alfred Brian Peckford was born in Whitbourne, Newfoundland on August 27,1942, and was raised in the communities of Whitbourne, Marystown, and Lewisporte.

Brian Peckford earned a Bachelor of Education degree from Memorial University of Newfoundland, and has completed postgraduate work in English Literature, Education, Psychology, and French Literature.

Brian Peckford was the founding patron of the Wessex Society of Newfoundland and Labrador.

Brian Peckford was the Progressive Conservative candidate in the district of Green Bay in the 1972 provincial election.

The PC Party won a majority government in the election and Brian Peckford was narrowly elected in his district over the Liberal candidate.

The PC Party won its second majority government under the leadership of Moores and Brian Peckford remained the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing.

Brian Peckford was appointed Minister of Mines and Energy on September 9,1976, replacing John Crosbie who was leaving provincial politics to run federally.

Brian Peckford said he pushed for these terms with oil companies after seeing resource give aways in the mining sector as well as the Upper Churchill Falls hydroelectric deal.

Brian Peckford was still considered by some media as the frontrunner and had racked up the most cabinet and caucus support.

At 36 years of age Brian Peckford became the youngest first minister in Newfoundland's history and one of the few members of the political elite from a working-class outport background.

Liberal leader Bill Rowe challenged Brian Peckford to call an election immediately, however Brian Peckford announced he would wait several months before calling one and would first bring down a budget, introduce new legislation, and overhaul the rules of procedure in the legislature.

On election day Brian Peckford led his party to its third straight majority government, they won 50 percent of the popular vote and 33 of the 52 seats in the House of Assembly.

Brian Peckford argued this would end Newfoundland's status as the poorest province in the country.

Brian Peckford's government tried to renegotiate the Upper Churchill contract with Hydro Quebec, which had been signed by Premier Joey Smallwood in 1969.

The Brian Peckford government sought to develop power on the Lower Churchill River, but could not secure a transmission route through Quebec into lucrative American and Canadian markets.

Brian Peckford argued the province had a historic and moral right to the fisheries and the government did its best to influence federal fisheries policy.

The Brian Peckford government had tried to negotiate an agreement with Pierre Trudeau's Liberal government over ownership, but were unsuccessful.

On election night Brian Peckford led his party to victory again, winning 61 percent of the vote and 44 of the 52 seats in the House of Assembly.

Brian Peckford shifted his efforts to gaining joint management and most of the revenues from offshore oil resources and embarked on a cross-Canada tour to drum up support for the province's position.

Weeks after signing the Atlantic Accord, Brian Peckford announced that an election would be held on April 2,1985.

Brian Peckford self-proclaimed himself the "Great Negotiator" for the Atlantic Accord but during the election he was hounded by teachers and public service employees who were upset with the two year government-imposed wage freeze.

Brian Peckford brought in the first pay equity policy, established the first Status of Women Council, and in 1983 appointed Margaret Cameron as the province's first woman Supreme Court justice.

In 1987 the Brian Peckford government partnered with Phillip Sprung to construct a hydroponic greenhouse complex on the St John's-Mount Pearl border.

Brian Peckford became a business consultant and has sat on numerous boards since leaving politics including the board of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in the 1990s.

Brian Peckford relocated to British Columbia in the early 1990s and in 1998 was appointed to lead a one-person inquiry into the state of Fraser River salmon stocks and fishery management.

Brian Peckford is currently a director of Strongbow Exploration Inc.

Brian Peckford has been an advisor to the British Columbia Conservative Party, co-chairing the party's issues management committee.

Peckford endorsed the People's Party led by Maxime Bernier in the 2021 Canadian federal election and Peckford appeared on Jordan B Peterson podcast Season 4 Episode 78, published January 26,2022, where he claimed that the Canadian government infringed on the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms during the COVID-19 pandemic.

On January 27,2022, it was revealed that Brian Peckford is the lead plaintiff for the Justice Centre for Constitutional Freedoms in a federal court case which is challenging the validity of the federal government's ban on travel for people who are unvaccinated.