10 Facts About Len Simms

Leonard Archibald Simms was born on October 23,1943 and is a Canadian politician from Newfoundland and Labrador.

Len Simms was the Progressive Conservative Member of the House of Assembly for Grand Falls from 1979 to 1995.

From 2005 until 2014, Simms was chairman and chief executive officer of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation, a provincial crown corporation.

Len Simms served as Speaker of the House of Assembly from 1979 to 1982 when he was appointed to the provincial cabinet of Premier Brian Peckford.

Len Simms served in the portfolios of Culture, Recreation and Youth, Forest Resources and Lands, President of Treasury Board and President of Executive Council.

Len Simms ran for the leadership of the Progressive Conservative Party in 1989 but lost to Tom Rideout who subsequently appointed him Development Minister in his Cabinet.

The Tory government was defeated in the 1989 general election and Len Simms moved to the Opposition benches.

Len Simms succeeded Rideout in 1991 to become Leader of the Opposition and party leader.

The party lost the 1993 general election and Len Simms resigned as party leader two years later.

Len Simms was appointed head of the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation by Premier Danny Williams in 2005.