Port de Grave

About the race

Port de Grave, which has been a Liberal stronghold since 1985, will have a new MHA after this election. Longtime MHA Roland Butler, who succeeded his former boss and Liberal heavyweight John Efford, is retiring.

The race is likely to be competitive. PC candidate Glenn Littlejohn, the mayor of Bay Roberts, lost to Butler by just 260 in 2007. Liberal candidate Leanne Hussey is 28, but has worked with the party for years, including a stint as president of the Young Liberals. Also running is NDP candidate Sarah Downey, a Memorial University student.

District profile

Port de Grave district runs along Conception Bay North east of Clarke's Beach up to Upper Island Cove. Fishing is still a prime industry in the district, although many people commute to work in the St. John's area. Bay Roberts is an important service centre for the region and there is some light industrial activity. Many of the towns have a large retired population and artists because it is considered a very scenic and quiet region.

Larger communities in the district include Bay Roberts, Clarke's Beach, North River, Spaniard's Bay and Upper Island Cove.

With redistribution in 1996, the district took in more of Conception Bay North. The district retained most of its territory in the 2007 redistribution as well as adding 18 per cent of Harbour Main-Whitbourne.

Estimated population: 12,015

Political history

Port de Grave is best known as home base for former Liberal cabinet minister John Efford, who left provincial politics in 2001, later moved into the federal arena and who is still active behind the scenes.

2001-2011: Roland Butler, Efford's former executive assistant, won a byelection for the Liberals in a tight race with Tory Ed Neil in 2001. Butler won the 2003 and 2007 elections for the Liberals.

1985-2001: Liberal John Efford held Port de Grave for 16 years, often winning with large majorities. A sharp-tongued critic in Opposition, Efford attracted controversy in cabinet. At one point, then Premier Clyde Wells demanded his resignation for how he handled a complaint about a job competition. Efford served as minister of fisheries —- a subject dear to his heart — when Brian Tobin was premier. After losing the 2001 Liberal leadership race by only 14 votes, Efford resigned his seat and later moved to federal politics, sitting in the House of Commons from 2002 to 2006.

1979-1985: PC Randy Collins was elected in Port de Grave, by narrow margins, in the 1979 and 1982 elections. Collins lost to Liberal John Efford in 1985.

1975-1979: Eric Dawe, running with Joey Smallwood's Liberal Reform ticket, was elected in a district he had won in 1962 and 1966, under Smallwood's Liberals. Dawe left politics before the 1979 election.

1972-1975: PC George Wilson won the seat by 302 votes. It was one of the seats that the Tories, led by Frank Moores, captured to wrest government from the Liberals.